Chapter 3 Quiz — The Catcher in the Rye

by J.D. Salinger

Comprehension Quiz: Chapter 3

What book is Holden reading at the beginning of Chapter 3?

  • The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
  • Out of Africa by Isak Dinesen
  • A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway
  • The Return of the Native by Thomas Hardy

Where did Holden buy his red hunting hat?

  • At a shop near Pencey Prep
  • At a store in New York City for one dollar
  • At a sporting goods store in Pennsylvania
  • His brother D.B. gave it to him as a gift

How does Holden wear his red hunting hat?

  • With the brim pulled down over his eyes
  • With the earflaps tied under his chin
  • With the brim turned around to the back
  • With the brim facing forward in the normal position

What does Holden call the red hunting hat when Ackley says it is a deer-shooting hat?

  • A people-shooting hat
  • A thinking cap
  • A lucky hat
  • A baseball hat

How does Ackley enter Holden's dorm room?

  • He knocks politely and waits to be invited in
  • He barges in through a shared bathroom without being invited
  • He climbs through the window from outside
  • He uses a key he borrowed from the resident advisor

Which of the following best describes Ackley's physical appearance as Holden describes it?

  • Short, muscular, and well-groomed
  • Tall, stooped, with pimples and poor dental hygiene
  • Average height, blond, and athletic
  • Thin, pale, and neatly dressed

What does Holden confess about himself to the reader in Chapter 3?

  • He admits that he has been expelled from Pencey for fighting
  • He reveals that he has never had a real friend
  • He confesses that he is 'the most terrific liar' he has ever known
  • He admits that he cheated on his final exams

What lie does Holden tell as an example of his dishonesty?

  • He tells a teacher he is sick to skip class
  • He tells Ackley's roommate that Ackley is the son of the governor
  • He tells Stradlater that he finished his homework early
  • He tells his parents he is doing well at Pencey

Why does Holden call Stradlater a 'secret slob'?

  • Because Stradlater never makes his bed but covers it with a blanket
  • Because Stradlater looks handsome publicly but keeps dirty personal items like a rusty razor
  • Because Stradlater copies other students' homework without getting caught
  • Because Stradlater pretends to study but actually sleeps during study hall

What does Stradlater ask Holden to do at the end of the chapter?

  • Lend him money for his date
  • Cover for him with the dorm supervisor
  • Write his English composition while he goes on a date
  • Help him pick out clothes for a formal dance

What quality does Holden say he values most in a book?

  • Beautiful descriptive language and poetic imagery
  • A complicated plot with many unexpected twists
  • Making him want to call the author on the telephone as a friend
  • Teaching him important historical facts and information

What is the Ossenburger Memorial Wing?

  • The school library where Holden studies
  • The dormitory wing where Holden lives, named after a wealthy alumnus
  • The chapel where students attend Sunday services
  • The athletic building where Holden practices fencing

How does Holden contrast Ackley's sloppiness with Stradlater's?

  • Ackley is messy at home but clean at school; Stradlater is the opposite
  • Ackley is visibly sloppy for everyone to see; Stradlater hides his sloppiness behind a handsome appearance
  • Both are equally sloppy but Ackley admits it while Stradlater denies it
  • Ackley is only sloppy about his room; Stradlater is sloppy about his appearance

What is the paradox in Holden admitting he is a 'terrific liar'?

  • He lies about being a liar, so the reader cannot trust anything he says
  • He hates phoniness in others yet freely admits to being dishonest himself
  • He only lies to adults but is always honest with his peers
  • He is actually a terrible liar who gets caught every time

Comprehension Quiz

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