1. Where does the play take place?
A. In the jail
B. In the Sheriff’s office
C. In the farmhouse of John and Minnie Wright
D. In the County Attorney’s office
Answer: In the farmhouse of John and Minnie Wright (C)
The play takes place in the farmhouse of John and Minnie Wright on the day after John Wright is found strangled in his bed.
2. Why did the Sheriff send one of his men to the farmhouse?
A. To collect evidence
B. To investigate the crime scene
C. To arrest Minnie Wright
D. To light the fire because the previous night’s temperature had dipped below zero
Answer: To light the fire because the previous night’s temperature had dipped below zero (D)
The Sheriff explains that he sent one of his men early in the morning to light the fire so that the group wouldn’t freeze during the investigation.
3. Who accompanied the Sheriff and the County Attorney to the farmhouse?
A. Mrs. Hale and the County Attorney
B. Mrs. Peters and Lewis Hale
C. Mrs. Wright and Lewis Hale
D. Mrs. Hale and Lewis Hale
Answer: Mrs. Peters and Lewis Hale (B)
The Sheriff and the County Attorney were accompanied by Lewis Hale, the neighbor who discovered John Wright’s body, and his wife, Mrs. Hale.
4. What was Lewis Hale’s original purpose for visiting the Wrights’ farmhouse?
A. To arrest Minnie Wright
B. To collect evidence
C. To investigate the crime scene
D. To try to persuade John Wright to buy into a party line telephone
Answer: To try to persuade John Wright to buy into a party line telephone (D)
Mr. Hale explains that he stopped by to try to persuade John Wright to buy into a party line telephone.
5. What did Minnie Wright do when Mr. Hale arrived at the farmhouse?
A. She was not at home
B. She refused to talk to him
C. She greeted him warmly
D. She acted ‘queer’
Answer: She acted ‘queer’ (D)
Upon arriving, Mr. Hale found Minnie sitting in her rocking chair and acting “queer.”
6. What did Minnie Wright say to Mr. Hale when he asked to speak to John?
A. John is not at home
B. John is sleeping
C. John is dead
D. John is busy
Answer: John is dead (C)
Minnie replied matter-of-factly that John was dead and pointed upstairs.
7. How did John Wright die?
A. He was poisoned in his food
B. He died of natural causes
C. He was strangled with a rope around his neck
D. He was shot in his bed
Answer: He was strangled with a rope around his neck (C)
Mr. Hale found John in bed, strangled with a rope around his neck.
8. Why did Mrs. Peters accompany the Sheriff to the farmhouse?
A. To collect a change of clothes and a few of Minnie’s belongings
B. To help investigate the crime scene
C. To interrogate Minnie Wright
D. To take notes of the investigation
Answer: To collect a change of clothes and a few of Minnie’s belongings (A)
The Sheriff’s wife, Mrs. Peters, has also come to collect a change of clothes and a few of Minnie’s belongings to take to her in jail.
9. What was the temperature like on the previous night?
A. It dipped below zero
B. It was very hot
C. It was normal
D. It was mild
Answer: It dipped below zero (A)
The house is very cold inside because the previous night’s temperature had dipped below zero, and the fire had gone out.
10. Who arrested Minnie Wright?
A. The County Attorney
B. Lewis Hale
C. Not mentioned in the passage
D. The Sheriff
Answer: The Sheriff (D)
Minnie Wright has been arrested and taken into custody, so the house has been empty for a day.
11. What was Minnie’s response when asked about John’s death?
A. She claimed to have seen the whole thing
B. She denied any involvement
C. She said she slept soundly and didn’t know
D. She burst out laughing
Answer: She said she slept soundly and didn’t know (C)
Minnie’s response seemed suspicious to Mr. Hale.
12. Why did Mr. Hale call the Sheriff and the coroner?
A. Because Minnie was acting suspiciously
B. Because he wanted to ask John about installing a telephone
C. Because he wanted to report a crime
D. Because he found John’s dead body
Answer: Because he found John’s dead body (D)
Mr. Hale was concerned about John’s death.
13. What did the County Attorney notice in the kitchen?
A. A hidden door
B. A broken chair
C. Unwashed dishes and dirty towels
D. A clean and tidy room
Answer: Unwashed dishes and dirty towels (C)
The kitchen was a mess.
14. Why did Mrs. Hale defend Minnie’s housekeeping?
A. Because she was friends with Minnie
B. Because she thought the men were being unfair
C. Because she felt sorry for Minnie
D. Because she was trying to hide evidence
Answer: Because she thought the men were being unfair (B)
Mrs. Hale was loyal to her sex.
15. What did the County Attorney find in the cupboard?
A. A broken vase
B. A hidden document
C. A suspicious letter
D. Several jars of canned fruit that had exploded
Answer: Several jars of canned fruit that had exploded (D)
The jars made a sticky mess.
16. What did Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters notice while collecting Minnie’s things?
A. Little clues about Minnie’s life
B. A secret diary
C. A mysterious letter
D. A hidden room
Answer: Little clues about Minnie’s life (A)
They saw signs of Minnie’s daily life.
17. Why did Mrs. Hale wonder about Minnie’s quilt?
A. Because it was too fancy
B. Because it was poorly sewn
C. Because it was a gift
D. Because it was half-finished
Answer: Because it was half-finished (D)
The quilt was unfinished.
18. What did Mrs. Peters find in a cabinet?
A. A secret message
B. A mysterious box
C. A broken vase
D. A birdcage with a ripped door
Answer: A birdcage with a ripped door (D)
The birdcage seemed violent.
19. What did Mrs. Hale regret about her relationship with Minnie?
A. Not visiting Minnie often enough
B. Not going to Minnie’s wedding
C. Not being friends with Minnie
D. Not telling Minnie about John’s death
Answer: Not visiting Minnie often enough (A)
Mrs. Hale felt guilty about neglecting Minnie.
20. What did Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters suspect about Minnie?
A. That she was definitely guilty
B. That she was worried about her preserves
C. That she was probably innocent
D. That she was hiding something
Answer: That she was probably innocent (C)
The women doubted Minnie’s guilt.
21. What did Mrs. Hale think was the reason Minnie Wright bought the bird?
A. To keep her company in the lonely house
B. To help her with the household chores
C. To show off her wealth to the neighbors
D. To impress her husband John Wright
Answer: To keep her company in the lonely house (A)
Mrs. Hale understands the loneliness of Minnie’s life.
22. What did the women discover while searching for sewing materials?
A. A piece of broken furniture
B. A torn piece of fabric
C. A hidden safe with jewels
D. A red box with a dead bird inside
Answer: A red box with a dead bird inside (D)
This discovery reveals a clue about the killing of John Wright.
23. What did Mrs. Hale suggest happened to the bird when the County Attorney asked?
A. Minnie set it free
B. The cat got it
C. John Wright killed it
D. The dog chased it away
Answer: The cat got it (B)
Mrs. Hale tries to cover up the truth.
24. Why did Mrs. Peters become emotional during the conversation?
A. She was upset about the cold weather
B. She recalled the death of her pet kitten
C. She was worried about Minnie’s future
D. She remembered her childhood trip to the countryside
Answer: She recalled the death of her pet kitten (B)
Mrs. Peters shares a personal experience.
25. What did Mrs. Hale think John Wright did to the bird?
A. He killed it
B. He set it free
C. He forgot to feed it
D. He gave it to Minnie as a gift
Answer: He killed it (A)
Mrs. Hale accuses John Wright of cruelty.
26. What did Mrs. Peters share about her personal life?
A. She had always been wealthy
B. She had lost her first baby
C. She had a troubled childhood
D. She had experienced a happy marriage
Answer: She had lost her first baby (B)
Mrs. Peters shares a personal experience.
27. What did the County Attorney conclude about the apron and quilt?
A. They were evidence of a crime
B. They were not very dangerous things
C. They were very dangerous things
D. They were valuable items
Answer: They were not very dangerous things (B)
The County Attorney makes a joke about the quilt and apron.
28. What did Mrs. Hale do with the bird’s body when the men left the room?
A. She left it on the table
B. She gave it to Mrs. Peters
C. She hid it in her pocket
D. She threw it away
Answer: She hid it in her pocket (C)
Mrs. Hale hides the evidence.
29. What did the County Attorney sarcastically remark about at the end of the play?
A. Minnie’s quilting plans
B. The men’s detective work
C. The investigation’s progress
D. The women’s sewing skills
Answer: Minnie’s quilting plans (A)
The County Attorney makes a joke about Minnie’s quilting plans.
30. What was Mrs. Hale’s response to the County Attorney’s question about the quilting term?
A. She was going to knot it
B. She was going to quilt it
C. She was going to weave it
D. She was going to sew it
Answer: She was going to knot it (A)
Mrs. Hale gives a subtle hint about the truth.
