Chapter 10 Practice Quiz — To Kill a Mockingbird
by Harper Lee — tap or click to flip
Practice Quiz: Chapter 10
Why are Scout and Jem embarrassed by Atticus at the start of Chapter 10?
He is nearly fifty, wears glasses, works in an office, and does not hunt, fish, play football, or do any of the physical activities other fathers do.
What is the one rule Atticus gives the children about their air rifles?
He tells them it is a sin to kill a mockingbird, though they may shoot all the bluejays they want.
How does Miss Maudie explain why it is a sin to kill a mockingbird?
Mockingbirds do nothing but make music for people to enjoy. They cause no harm, so destroying one is purely cruel.
What is wrong with Tim Johnson the dog?
Tim Johnson is rabid. He walks erratically with a slack jaw, shivering and listing to one side.
Who does Calpurnia call first when she spots the mad dog?
She calls Atticus at his office, then phones the town telephone operator Eula May to spread the warning throughout the neighborhood.
Why does Calpurnia run to the Radley house?
She shouts a warning about the rabid dog to whoever might be inside, since they have no phone.
Why does Sheriff Heck Tate hand the rifle to Atticus?
Tate is afraid that if he misses, the bullet will go straight into the Radley house. He knows Atticus is a far better shot.
How long has it been since Atticus fired a gun?
Approximately thirty years. Atticus protests that he has not shot a gun in that long.
What does Atticus do with his glasses before shooting?
He pushes them up to his forehead, then lets them drop to the ground because they interfere with his vision.
What was Atticus's nickname in his youth?
"Ol' One-Shot Finch" — he was the deadliest shot in Maycomb County.
Who reveals Atticus's shooting reputation to the children?
Miss Maudie Atkinson calls across the street and tells them about his nickname and marksmanship.
Why did Atticus stop shooting decades ago?
He believed God gave him an unfair advantage over most living things and decided it would be wrong to exploit that gift for sport or pride.
What does Miss Maudie mean when she says "people in their right minds never take pride in their talents"?
She means that truly admirable people do not boast about natural gifts. Real character is shown through choices and restraint, not through displaying abilities.
Why does Jem tell Scout not to mention the shooting at school?
He reasons that if Atticus wanted people to know, he would have told them. Jem recognizes that Atticus's silence about his skill reflects genuine humility.
What does the rabid dog Tim Johnson symbolize?
He symbolizes the irrational racism and hatred infecting Maycomb — a communal sickness that must be confronted by someone reluctant to use force.
How does the mad dog scene foreshadow later events in the novel?
Just as Atticus steps alone into the empty street to face Tim Johnson, he will later stand alone against a lynch mob at the jail and defend Tom Robinson in a hostile courtroom.
What narrative technique does Harper Lee use to structure Chapter 10?
She uses dramatic reversal — building the case that Atticus is dull and unimpressive, then overturning it with the shooting scene to redefine what strength and courage mean.
How does Chapter 10 mark a turning point in Jem's maturity?
Jem moves from measuring his father by physical feats to understanding that restraint and humility are more admirable than display. He adopts Atticus's ethic of quiet decency.
What is the connection between the mockingbird lesson and Atticus's decision to stop shooting?
Both express the same moral principle: do not harm what is innocent, and do not exercise power simply because you can.
Who is Eula May?
She is Maycomb's telephone operator. Calpurnia calls her to spread the warning about the rabid dog to the whole neighborhood.
What season is it when the mad dog appears?
February. Scout notes it is unusual to see a rabid dog in winter, since rabies outbreaks typically occur in hot weather.
What does Heck Tate observe about where the bullet hit Tim Johnson?
He notes the shot landed slightly to the right of center, and would have been dead center if the dog had not been veering sideways.