CHAPTER 38 Quiz — The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

by Mark Twain

Comprehension Quiz: CHAPTER 38

What does Tom say every prisoner must leave behind on the wall?

  • A detailed map showing the escape route
  • An inscription and a coat of arms
  • A signed confession and a farewell letter
  • A portrait drawn in charcoal on the stones

Which historical figure does Tom NOT mention as an example of a prisoner who left inscriptions?

  • Lady Jane Grey
  • Gilford Dudley
  • Napoleon Bonaparte
  • Old Northumberland

What does Jim mistakenly think a "coat of arms" is?

  • A type of weapon stored in the prison armory
  • A warm winter coat given to prisoners in cold cells
  • His old shirt, the only garment he has to wear
  • A painted shield hanging on the dungeon wall

What is the motto on the coat of arms Tom designs, and what does it mean?

  • "Semper fidelis" — always faithful to one's friends
  • "Carpe diem" — seize the day while you still can
  • "Maggiore fretta, minore atto" — the more haste, the less speed
  • "E pluribus unum" — out of many, one united people

How does Tom respond when Huck asks him to explain the term "fess"?

  • He reads the definition aloud from a reference book
  • He says Huck does not need to know and will show Jim when the time comes
  • He draws a careful diagram on the ground to illustrate it
  • He admits he copied the term incorrectly from the book

How many mournful inscriptions does Tom compose, and how many does he decide Jim should carve?

  • He composes two and selects the longer one for carving
  • He composes four and decides Jim must carve all of them
  • He composes six and narrows the list down to three
  • He composes four and picks only the shortest one

According to the fourth inscription, the prisoner is the "natural son" of which figure?

  • Henry VIII of England
  • Louis XIV of France
  • Napoleon Bonaparte of France
  • Charles II of England

Why do Huck and Tom need to go fetch Jim to help with the grindstone?

  • Jim knows a shortcut through the woods to the mill
  • The boys need Jim's lantern to see in the dark
  • The grindstone is too heavy and keeps falling over, nearly crushing them
  • Tom insists the prisoner must carry his own escape materials

What animal does Tom first suggest Jim keep as a "dumb pet" in his cabin?

  • A rat trained to perform clever tricks
  • A spider kept in a tin cup by the bed
  • A rattlesnake that Jim could tame and sleep with
  • A stray cat found wandering near the cabin

What does Jim threaten to do if Tom brings a rattlesnake into his cabin?

  • He will refuse to speak to Tom ever again
  • He will bust right through the log wall with his head and leave
  • He will release all the other animals into the yard
  • He will tell Aunt Sally about the entire escape plan

What compromise does Tom suggest instead of a real rattlesnake?

  • A harmless king snake painted with red stripes
  • A wooden snake carved from a piece of driftwood
  • Garter snakes with buttons tied to their tails to imitate rattlesnakes
  • A garden lizard that Jim can pretend is a small alligator

What song does Tom tell Jim to play on his jews-harp to attract the rats?

  • "Camptown Races" to get them dancing in a circle
  • "The Last Link is Broken" because painful music attracts animals
  • "Dixie" because it reminds the rats of home
  • "Amazing Grace" to calm them down before bedtime

What does Tom insist Jim call the mullen plant he is to grow in his prison?

  • Old Faithful, because it survives harsh conditions
  • Liberty Rose, symbolizing the hope of freedom
  • Pitchiola, because that is its proper name in a prison
  • Sweet Sorrow, after a famous Shakespeare quotation

Why does Tom ultimately decide to use an onion to make Jim cry?

  • Jim requests onions as his favorite food for prison meals
  • Jim says he hardly ever cries, so the plant would die without a tear substitute
  • Tom read in a book that onion juice helps plants grow faster
  • Jim is allergic to onions and the reaction produces enough tears

What is the primary literary technique Mark Twain uses in this chapter?

  • Foreshadowing to hint at a tragic ending for Jim's escape attempt
  • Satire to expose the absurdity of Romantic adventure-novel conventions
  • Allegory to represent the stages of the Civil War through the escape plan
  • Stream of consciousness to reveal Huck's conflicted inner thoughts

Comprehension Quiz

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