To Kill a Mockingbird - Chapter Questions and Vocabulary

Directions: Answer questions (point form is fine), and define vocabulary word in context (give a brief definition and identify the passage the word is in.)

e.g. cunning (sly) – “Dill was a cunning boy” (20.)

Chapters 1-4 (Choose any 5 questions to answer.)

1. Give details about the setting.

2. How does the setting affect the characters?

3. Contrast Dill’s family situation with the Finch’s.

4. What are some of Scout’s difficulties on the first day of school?

5. How do we know that the Cunninghams are poor?

6. How does Scout solve her problem with Walter Cunningham?

7. How is Burris Ewell different from the other children?

8. What are the gifts the children find in the hollow tree?

Vocab (Choose any 5 words.): assuage (p. 3), taciturn (p.4), malevolent (p. 8), intimidation (P.11), cunning (P.16), repertoire (P.8), nebulous (P.11)

Chapter 5-8 (Choose any 5 questions to answer.)

1. Comment on Atticus’ relationship with his children.

2. What does Scout admire about Miss Maudie?

3. How do the children plan to spend Dill’s last night in Maycomb?

4. What goes wrong?

5. How do the children say they spent their evening?

6. What new gifts do the children find in the hollow tree?

7. Why do you think Mr. Nathan Radly filled in the tree?

8. Explain Miss Maudie’s reaction to the loss of her house.

Vocab (Choose any 5 words.): contemptuous P.27), condescension (P. 27),benevolence (p. 43), ethical (p.35), tacit (p.42), amiable (p. 29), pestilence (p. 42) malignant (p. 55), perpetuate, perplexity, prowess (p. 51), ascertain (p.61), (un)fathomable (p.63)

Chapter 9 – 11 (Choose any 5 questions to answer.)

1. Whom will Scout thank someday for keeping her warm on the night of the fire?

2. Who is Tom Robinson?

3. Why does Scout fight her cousin Frances at Christmas dinner?

4. What is Maycomb’s “usual disease”?

5. What reason does Uncle Jack give for Atticus’ unwillingness to teach his children how to shoot?

6. What crisis shows the children a surprising skill their father possesses?

7. Who is Heck Tate?

8. What makes the children hate and fear Mrs. Dubose?

9. How does Jem get revenge on Mrs. Dubose? What is his punishment?

Vocab (Choose any 5 words.): aberrations (p.63), caricature (p.67), accost(ed) (p. 65), fanatical (p.81),inconspicuous, mausoleum, vehemently, articulate, tranquil, oppressive, provocation (p.79), evasion,

Chapter 12-15 (Choose any 5 questions to answer.)

1. How is Cal different at First Purchase Church? Why?

2. Why can’t Helen Robinson get work?

3. Why has Aunt Alexandra come to Maycomb?

4. Why does she get angry with Atticus?

5. What solution does Atticus offer to the problem of Dill’s presence?

6. Who is Mr. Underwood?

7. What is the mob’s intention?

8. How does Scout end the danger?

Vocab (Choose any 5 words.): altercation (p. 115), tedious (p. 124), formidable (p.128), caste system (p. 132), infallible (p.140), diction (p. 144) uncouth (p.154), ominous (p.146)

Chapter 16-19 (Choose any 5 questions to answer.)

1. In the eyes of the community, what is Dolphus Raymond’s problem?

2. How do Scout and Jem make Mr. Cunningham stand in Atticus’ shoes?

4. Based on what he says in court, write a brief character description of Bob Ewell.

5. How can the reader guess that perhaps Mayella is different from the rest of her family?

6. Why does Atticus ask Bob Ewell to write his name?

7. Atticus is trying to get Mayella to make a confession? What is it?

8. What dramatic fact do we learn about Tom Robinson at the end of Mayella’s testimony?

9. What does Mr. Ewell claim to see through the window that infuriated him?

Why did Mr. Gilmer get angry when Tom said he felt sorry for Mayella?

Vocab (Choose any 5 words.): affliction (p.149), impassive (p.154), affluent (p.160), amiable (p.165), elucidate (p.162), scrutiny (p.166) , acrimonious (p.171), smugly (p. 175), ambidextrous (p. 180), articulate (p. 197), contempt (legal meaning) (p. 174)

Chapter 20-23 (Choose any 5 questions to answer.)

1. What aspect of Mr. Raymond’s reputation do the children find to be false?

2. What “crime” does Atticus say Mayella feels guilt for?

3. What happens when Atticus leaves the court?

4. What does Atticus find in the kitchen on the morning after the trial?

5. What is Bob Ewell’s response to the verdict?

6. How does Atticus define “trash”? How does Aunt Alexandra?

7. Describe Jem’s four categories of folks. Describe Scout’s.

Vocab (Choose any 5 words.): volition (p. 192), impudent (p. 198), discreet (p. 200), temerity (p. 202), duty (p.205), acquit (p.207); cynical (p.218), ruefully (p.219), credibility (p.222), furtive (p.218), adamant (p.220), indignant (p.225)

Chapter 24-27 (Choose any 5 questions to answer.)

1. What causes Scout to comment that Jem was acting more like a girl every day? What definition of “girl” does this imply?

2. What has happened to Tom Robinson?

3. What is ironic, and hypocritical, about Miss Gate’s lesson on democracy?

4. What services do Link Deas perform for Helen because he felt “right bad about the way things turned out”?

5. What is Scout’s Halloween costume? What are its drawbacks?

Vocab (Choose any 5 words.): hypocrite (p.234), recluse (p.242), allegedly (p.243), spurious (p.244), persecute (p.249), eccentricity (p.250), WPA (p.248)

Chapter 28-31 (Choose any 5 questions to answer.)

1. Who scares the children on the way to the pageant?

2. Who are the four people under the tree?

3. Who is the children’s attacker? How did he die?

4. What unexpected benefit did the ham outfit supply?

5. What does Boo really look like?

6. Who killed Bob Ewell?

7. How (in true ladylike fashion) does Scout make Boo feel less uncomfortable?

8. Explain the tense conversation between Heck Tate and Atticus.

9. After Heck leaves, Atticus must explain the lie to Scout. Why is this easier than he expects?

10. Why do you think Lee has Scout comment on the view from Boo’s porch? How does this tie everything together?

Vocab: frenzied (p.256), pinioned (p.262), staccato (p.263), garishly, spasm, blandly, eluded, shrewder