Name: ________________________

Use the short story “Lamb to the Slaughter” to answer the following questions.

1. At the beginning of the story, Mary Maloney is—

a. plotting to kill her husband
b. thinking about what to make for dinner
c. happily waiting for her husband
d. worried that her husband has betrayed her (let her down)

2. The reader can assume that Mary’s husband has several drinks because-
e. he is an alcoholic
f. he is dreading telling her
g. he had a bad day at work
h. this is what he does every day

3. The fact that the leg of lamb is significant because—

i. it shows she planned the murder
j. it shows she didn’t plan the murder
k. it represents the couple’s icy relationship
l. it is much bigger than a lamb chop

4. The repetition of the phrase “sit down” indicates -

m. he is worried his pregnant wife is tired
n. he wants to look her in the eye
o. his annoyance
p. he has something serious to talk to her about

5. The real reason that Mary goes to the store is that she needs—
q. food for dinner
r. some time to think
s. something to distract her
t. an alibi

6. The policemen eating the leg of lamb is an example of—

u. foreshadowing
v. flashback
w. metaphor
x. irony

7. One of the police officers thinks the murder weapon was a—

y. brick
z. leg of lamb
aa. a bar
bb. pistol
8. Mary refuses to lie down because she—
cc. needs to make dinner for the officers
dd. is beginning to go into labor
ee. wants to keep an eye on the investigation
ff. both b & c

9. Readers can infer that Mary giggles at the end of the story because—
kk. the officers have eaten the murder weapon
ll. her mind has snapped
mm. something funny happened
nn. she wants to flirt with the officers

10. Which of the following choices is the best description of the mood the author creates in
“Lamb to the Slaughter”?
ww. darkly comic
xx. light and breezy
yy. neutral
zz. eerie and frightening

11. It may be said that Mary has a(an) ____________ personality.

a. obsessive
b. pushy
c. weak
d. solid

12. Mary's husband has indicated that he was

a. teasing her
b. abusing her
c. leaving her
d. lying to her

13. Mary hitting Patrick with the frozen leg of lamb occurs during the
a. rising action
b. falling action
c. climax
d. resolution