The Lottery

Grade Levels

Excerpt

Part I. Vocabulary. Choose the correct meaning of the underlined word or fill in the blank using the correct vocabulary word in the following sentences. (Some were taken from the story).

• “...the flowers were blossoming profusely and the grass was richly green.” a. brightly b. awkwardly c. briefly d. abundantly
• “...they tended to gather together quietly for a while before they broke into boisterous play.” a. rowdy b. mean c. simple d. harmful
• “He was a round-faced, jovial man and he ran the coal business.” a. encouraging b. good humored c. able-bodied d. even-handed
• “She hesitated for a minute, looking around defiantly, and then set her lips and went up to the box.” a. amusingly b. willingly c. longingly d. rebelliously
• The magician unpacked a whole suitcase of equipment, but she used very little of the _______________ in her act. a. profuse b. jovial c. paraphernalia d. perfunctory
• Each morning on her way to school, Alice stops to get a hot chocolate __________ as if in a daily routine. a. profuse b. jovial c. paraphernalia d. perfunctory
• Willie has been upset and sulking all day and answers ___________ whenever you ask him a question. a. profusely b. jovially c. petulantly d. interminably
• Since Mary did not want to go to the party, she decided to go __________. a. profusely b. jovially c. reluctantly d. interminably

Part II. Multiple Choice.

• The morning of the lottery is... a. gray and foggy b. very hot and humid c. warm and sunny
• Having completed their collecting, some of the boys are guarding their pile of ... a. newspapers b. stones c. books
• While waiting for the lottery to begin, the townspeople ... a. quietly talk and joke b. cry and pray c. stay silent
• The lottery is conducted by a. Mr. Summers b. Mrs. Graves c. Mr. Hutchinson
• Mrs. Hutchinson’s late arrival proves to be an example of ... a. foreshadowing b. suspense c. irony d. hyperbole
• By tradition, those who draw the skips of paper during the first round are ... a. the oldest members of the community b. the male heads of households c. the boys who have just turned sixteen
• When Old Man Warner hears that some places have dropped the lottery, he ... a. feels a flicker of hope but remains silent b. expresses strong disapproval c. is so stunned that he leaves the village
• The winner of the lottery is a. Old Man Warner b. Janey Dunbar c. Tessie Hutchinson
• The winner ...a. gets a large sum of money b. is killed c. is awarded a new house
• The winner’s last words are a. “I will get my revenge.” b. “I always knew it would be me.” c. “It isn’t fair, it isn’t right.”

Part III. Short Answers.

• Give two specific examples of foreshadowing in the story.
• Give two specific examples of irony in the story.

Part IV. Essay.

Explain how the two themes below are evident in the story.

• Keeping traditions alive
• Everyone has an inherent evil side to him/her.

About

This is a test for Shirley Jackson's short story "The Lottery". It contains vocabulary, multiple choice questions, two short answer questions pertaining to literary elements, and an essay question.