11th grade: Cask of Amontillado Study Guide

Hello guys,

Here is a Study Guide that will help you to study for your bimestral test on the reading comprehension section.

Have a Nice Day.

STUDY GUIDE QUESTIONS

The Cask of Amontillado

Vocabulary
Part I: Using Prior Knowledge and Contextual Clues
Below are the sentences in which the vocabulary words appear in the text. Read the
sentence. Use any clues you can find in the sentence combined with your prior knowledge, and
write what you think the underlined words mean on the lines provided.
1. The thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as I best could; but when he ventured upon
 insult, I vowed revenge.

2. I must not only punish, but punish with impunity.

3. ...that my smile now was at the thought of his immolation.

4. You have been imposed upon.
5. We came at length to the foot of the descent, and stood together on the damp ground of the
 catacombs....

6. ...looked into my eyes with two filmy orbs that distilled the rheum of intoxication.

7. "You are not of the masons."

8. ...the foulness of the air caused our flambeaux rather to glow than flame.

9. ...bones had been thrown down, and lay promiscuously upon the earth.

Part II. Determining the Meaning -- Match the vocabulary words to their definitions.
___ 1. injuries                                                             A. Casually; randomly
___ 2. impunity                                                           B. One who builds or works with stone or brick
___ 3. immolation                                                       C. Forced on another or others
___ 4. imposed                                                           D. Damage or harm done to or suffered by a
___ 5. catacombs person or thing                                E. Underground cemetery
___ 6. orbs                                                                 F. Exemption from punishment, penalty, or harm
___ 7. masons                                                            G. Eyes
___ 8. flambeaux                                                        H. Destruction; being killed
___ 9. promiscuously                                                  I. A lighted torch

Reading comprehension
 1. Why did Montresor decide to kill Fortunato?
 2. What is ironic about Fortunato's name?
 3. What was Fortunato's weak point, and how did Montresor capitalize on it?
 4. How does Montresor insure Fortunato will come along?
 5. Why does Fortunato continue underground among the catacombs when the nitre is making
 his cough worse?
 6. As they continue, what does Montresor offer to Fortunato? Why?
 7. What "sign" of the masons did Montresor give Fortunato?
 8. What did Montresor do to Fortunato when they reached the recess where the Amontillado
 was supposed to be?
 9. Why didn't Fortunato resist?
10. How did Montresor kill Fortunato?
11. Why did Montresor's "heart grow sick"?
12. In the last portion of the story, Montresor often repeats Fortunato's words. What effect does
 this have?
13. What is ironic about the trowel?
14. How does Montresor have a "double personality"?
15. What is ironic about the time of the murder?
16. What gothic elements are present in this story?
17. What does the first person narrative technique add to the story?

12 GRADE: THE BLACK CAT STUDY GUIDE

Greetings guys,

Here is your study guide for the bimestral test, to help you out with the story of the black cat. It will also help you out to study for your bimestral exams.

Have a nice Day.
Mrs. Catalina Toro

SHORT ANSWER STUDY GUIDE QUESTIONS

The Black Cat

Vocabulary

Part I: Using Prior Knowledge and Contextual Clues

Read the sentence. Use any clues you can find in the sentence combined with your prior

knowledge, and write what you think the underlined words mean on the lines provided.

1. I suffered myself to use intemperate language to my wife.

 

2. My original soul seemed, at once, to take its flight from my body; and a more than fiendish

 malevolence, gin-nurtured, thrilled every fibre of my frame.

 

3-4. And then came, as if to my final and irrevocable overthrow, the spirit of perverseness.

 

5. I am above the weakness of seeking to establish a sequence of cause and effect, between the

 disaster and the atrocity.

6 . When I first beheld this apparition--for I could scarcely regard it as less--my wonder and my

 terror were extreme.

 

7. ...I came to look upon it with unutterable loathing, and to flee silently from its odious

 presence, as from the breath of a pestilence.

 

8. It followed my footsteps with a pertinacity which would be difficult to make the reader

 comprehend.

 

9. ...the feeble remnant of the good within me succumbed. Evil thoughts became my sole

 intimates...

 

10. Upon its head,...sat the hideous beast whose craft had...whose voice had consigned me to the

 hangman.

 

Part II. Determining the Meaning -- Match the vocabulary words to their definitions

___ 1. intemperate                                                   A. Can't be turned back

___ 2. malevolence                                                  B. Quality of being directed away from what is 

___ 3. irrevocable right or good                               C. Not moderate

___ 4. perverseness                                                 D. A ghostly figure     

___ 5. atrocity                                                          E. Handed over

___ 6. apparition                                                      F. Ill will toward others; rancor; malice; evil 

___ 7. odious                                                           G. An appalling or atrocious action, situation, or object

___ 8. pertinacity influence, especially supernatural    H. Gave in

___ 9. succumbed                                                    I. Evoking feelings or repulsion

___ 10. consigned                                                    J. Persistence; tenacity; without quitting

Reading Comprehension 

 1. In the first few paragraphs, the narrator gives us some background information about

 himself. What does he most stress?
 2. Who was Pluto?
 3. Describe the relationship between Pluto and the narrator.
 4. What was the first violent act the narrator did to Pluto?
 5. What second act (the narrator describes as being done in the spirit of perverseness) did he
 commit on Pluto?
 6. On the night the narrator killed Pluto, what happened to his home?
 7. Describe the second cat.
 8. Describe the relationship between the second cat and the narrator.
 9. What peculiar mark did the cat have?
10. Why did the narrator kill his wife?
11. How did he dispose of the body?
12. Who came on the fourth day after the murder?
13. What was the narrator's reaction to the police?
14. How did the police discover the body?
15. Where is the climax of the story?
16. Which is more important to Poe's purpose: the murders or the revealing of the narrator's
 mental state?
17. Why is the setting of the story vague?
18. What value does using the first person narrative add to the story?
19. "Have we not a perpetual inclination . . . to violate that which is Law, merely because we
 understand it to be such?" Answer Poe's rhetorical question.

Review Pronouns

Hello 12 graders, 
Please try your best doing these exercises on the notebook. Good Luck!!!!
Mrs. Cata 
Pronouns Circle the correct word to complete each sentence.

1.  The group's doctrine would not allow (they, them) to attend a school dance.

2.  Our plants seem to become moribund in the cold winters, but (they, them) perk up again in the spring.

3.  (They, Them) don't think it's a good idea for me to move to California.

4.  The two countries called an armistice and decided that the fighting had gone on long enough. Eight years later, (they, them) are still living side-by-side peacefully.

5.  The phone company buried the cables in the ground in a huge conduit that would protect (they, them) from damage.

Circle the word that best completes each sentence.

6.  Although (it, its, it's) known as a honeymoon spot, the Falls are awe-inspiring for everyone.

7.  That was your best work, wasn't (it, its, it's)?

8.  When the frog transforms (it, its, it's) called metamorphosis.

9.  Our high school buys (it, its, it's) class rings from Josten's Corporation.

10.  The little bird couldn't find (it, its, it's) mother.

Circle the correct word to complete each sentence.

11.  Because Dad has such a steadfast partner in his business, (he, him) is confident that things will run smoothly if he's gone for a day.

12.  Their son had stolen from them so many times that they felt they had to repudiate (he, him) until he got his life in order.

13.  For nearly 20 years Napoleon seemed invincible, until (he, him) suffered defeat.

14.  It is very difficult for my dad to be impartial when (he, him) referees my games.

15.  Although I tried to comfort my dad after my mom died, I'm afraid that I was not much solace to (he, him).

Circle the word that best completes each sentence.

16.  During Millard Fillmore's term, Harriet Beecher Stowe published (her, hers, she) antislavery novel Uncle Tom's Cabin.

17.  Ms. Hicks asked the girl if the hair bow was (her, hers, she).

18.  Sara made a big blunder while (her, hers, she) was cooking and now has a burned pan.

19.  My best friend could write (her, hers, she) name with both hands at the same time.

20.  The red wagon with the missing wheel is (her, hers, she).

Circle the correct word to complete each sentence.

21.  She was tired of listening to the trivial conversation at the party; (she, her) just wanted to go home.

22.  Her hearing impediment was diagnosed at a very early age, so (she, her) was able to learn how to read lips and use sign language to communicate.

23.  It's natural for a young girl to emulate (she, her) mother.

24.  The surly man began to yell at the cashier for a mistake (she, her) had made on his bill.

25.  Dr. Johnson hesitated to admit Ethel into the hospital because of (she, her) notorious reputation as a hypochondriac.

Circle the correct word to complete each sentence.

26.  Can you give (I, me) any insight as to the place I should plant my tree for the best growth?

27.  The robust flavor of the marinara sauce cause (I, me) to long for my home back in Italy.

28.  Every time (I, me) am around Samuel, I get embarrassed by his strident jokes.

29.  (I, Me) cannot believe that Stephanie's pensive comments were allowed in her speech. Her morbid comments shocked the whole class.

30.  The melodious sound of my mother's voice woke (I, me) gently every morning.

Circle the word that best completes each sentence.

31.  (His, He) is a solid citizen.

32.  The groundhog didn't see (his, he) shadow this year.

33.  (His, He) has been in the Marines for five years.

34.  Wade will have (his, he) own room in the new house.

35.  He spoke to John, then called (his, he) mother, and finally phoned me.