Short Story: "The Pit and the Pendulum" by Edgar Allan Poe – Flashcards

Read the selection below from the short story "The Pit and the Pendulum" by Edgar Allan Poe and use your knowledge of the story to answer the question that follows. Down—steadily down it crept. I took a frenzied pleasure in contrasting its downward with its lateral velocity. To the right—to the left—far and wide—with the shriek of a damned spirit! to my heart with the stealthy pace of the tiger! I alternately laughed and howled, as the one or the other idea grew predominant. Which torture does the passage above reference? A. being ate alive by rats B. being sliced open by a giant blade C. being killed by falling into a hole D. being burned alive

Read the selection below from the short story "The Pit and the Pendulum" by Edgar Allan Poe and answer the question that follows. Amid the thought of the fiery destruction that impended, the idea of the coolness of the well came over my soul like balm. I rushed to its deadly brink. I threw my straining vision below. The glare from the enkindled roof illumined its inmost recesses. Yet, for a wild moment, did my spirit refuse to comprehend the meaning of what I saw. At length it forced—it wrestled its way into my soul—it burned itself in upon my shuddering reason. O for a voice to speak!—oh, horror!—oh, any horror but this! With a shriek I rushed from the margin and buried my face in my hands—weeping bitterly. Which element of fiction dominates the passage above? A. characterization of the narrator B. development of the plot C. illustration of the setting D. advancement of the theme

Read the selection below from the short story "The Pit and the Pendulum" by Edgar Allan Poe and use your knowledge of the story to answer the question that follows. Amid the thought of the fiery destruction that impended, the idea of the coolness of the well came over my soul like balm. I rushed to its deadly brink. I threw my straining vision below. The glare from the enkindled roof illumined its inmost recesses. Yet, for a wild moment, did my spirit refuse to comprehend the meaning of what I saw. At length it forced—it wrestled its way into my soul—it burned itself in upon my shuddering reason. O for a voice to speak!—oh, horror!—oh, any horror but this! With a shriek I rushed from the margin and buried my face in my hands—weeping bitterly. Which torture does the passage above reference? A. being eaten alive by rats B. being burned alive C. being killed by falling into a hole D. being sliced open by a giant blade

Read the selection below from the short story "The Pit and the Pendulum" by Edgar Allan Poe and answer the question that follows. Amid the thought of the fiery destruction that impended, the idea of the coolness of the well came over my soul like balm. I rushed to its deadly brink. I threw my straining vision below. The glare from the enkindled roof illumined its inmost recesses. Yet, for a wild moment, did my spirit refuse to comprehend the meaning of what I saw. At length it forced—it wrestled its way into my soul—it burned itself in upon my shuddering reason. O for a voice to speak!—oh, horror!—oh, any horror but this! With a shriek I rushed from the margin and buried my face in my hands—weeping bitterly. Which word best describes the narrator in the passage above? A. humorous B. determined C. frightened D. insensitive

Read the selection below from the short story "The Pit and the Pendulum" by Edgar Allan Poe and use your knowledge of the story to answer the question that follows. Down—steadily down it crept. I took a frenzied pleasure in contrasting its downward with its lateral velocity. To the right—to the left—far and wide—with the shriek of a damned spirit! to my heart with the stealthy pace of the tiger! I alternately laughed and howled, as the one or the other idea grew predominant. Which type of atmosphere does the passage above create? A. frightening and disquieting B. exciting and hopeful C. romantic and content D. mournful and disappointed

Read the selection below from the short story "The Pit and the Pendulum" by Edgar Allan Poe and complete the statement that follows. I saw clearly the doom which had been prepared for me, and congratulated myself upon the timely accident by which I had escaped. Another step before my fall, and the world had seen me no more and the death just avoided was of that very character which I had regarded as fabulous and frivolous in the tales respecting the Inquisition. To the victims of its tyranny, there was the choice of death with its direst physical agonies, or death with its most hideous moral horrors. I had been reserved for the latter. By long suffering my nerves had been unstrung, until I trembled at the sound of my own voice, and had become in every respect a fitting subject for the species of torture which awaited me. All of the following stylistic devices appear in the passage above except __________. A. repetition of words B. sensory imagery C. complicated sentences D. simile

The following question refers to "The Pit and the Pendulum" by Edgar Allan Poe. Of the following aspects of the story, which one is based on exaggeration rather than historical accuracy? A. the elaborate tortures B. the French leader, General Lasalle C. the location of Toledo, Spain D. the Spanish Inquisition

Read the selection below from the short story "The Pit and the Pendulum" by Edgar Allan Poe and use your knowledge of the story to answer the question that follows. Down—steadily down it crept. I took a frenzied pleasure in contrasting its downward with its lateral velocity. To the right—to the left—far and wide—with the shriek of a damned spirit! to my heart with the stealthy pace of the tiger! I alternately laughed and howled, as the one or the other idea grew predominant. Which aspect of psychological suspense dominates the passage? A. plot developed through fantasy B. plain and simple writing style C. heroic, admirable protagonists D. emphasis on madness

Read the selection below from the short story "The Pit and the Pendulum" by Edgar Allan Poe and use your knowledge of the story to answer the question that follows. I saw clearly the doom which had been prepared for me, and congratulated myself upon the timely accident by which I had escaped. Another step before my fall, and the world had seen me no more and the death just avoided was of that very character which I had regarded as fabulous and frivolous in the tales respecting the Inquisition. To the victims of its tyranny, there was the choice of death with its direst physical agonies, or death with its most hideous moral horrors. I had been reserved for the latter. By long suffering my nerves had been unstrung, until I trembled at the sound of my own voice, and had become in every respect a fitting subject for the species of torture which awaited me. Which torture does the passage above reference? A. being eaten alive by rats B. being sliced open by a giant blade C. being killed by falling into a hole D. being burned alive

Read the selection below from the short story "The Pit and the Pendulum" by Edgar Allan Poe and answer the question that follows. I saw clearly the doom which had been prepared for me, and congratulated myself upon the timely accident by which I had escaped. Another step before my fall, and the world had seen me no more and the death just avoided was of that very character which I had regarded as fabulous and frivolous in the tales respecting the Inquisition. To the victims of its tyranny, there was the choice of death with its direst physical agonies, or death with its most hideous moral horrors. I had been reserved for the latter. By long suffering my nerves had been unstrung, until I trembled at the sound of my own voice, and had become in every respect a fitting subject for the species of torture which awaited me. Which excerpt portrays the narrator's madness best? A. "I saw clearly the doom which had been prepared for me . . . ." B. "By long suffering my nerves had been unstrung, until I trembled at the sound of my own voice . . . ." C. "Another step before my fall, and the world had seen me no more . . . ." D. "[T]here was the choice of death with its direst physical agonies, or death with its most hideous moral horrors."

What is the definition for "imperceptible"? A. not having a large range of motion B. not wanting to leave a place C. not learning in an efficient manner D. not distinguishable by the senses

Read the selection below from the short story "The Pit and the Pendulum" by Edgar Allan Poe and use your knowledge of the story to answer the question that follows. Down—steadily down it crept. I took a frenzied pleasure in contrasting its downward with its lateral velocity. To the right—to the left—far and wide—with the shriek of a damned spirit! to my heart with the stealthy pace of the tiger! I alternately laughed and howled, as the one or the other idea grew predominant. Which torture does the passage above reference? A. being eaten alive by rats B. being sliced open by a giant blade C. being killed by falling into a hole D. being burned alive

The following question refers to "The Pit and the Pendulum" by Edgar Allan Poe. How is the narrator freed from his prison? A. The prison walls are destroyed by an earthquake. B. The French army takes over the city. C. The fire started by his captors burns through the prison walls. D. The judge commutes his sentence.

The following question refers to "The Pit and the Pendulum" by Edgar Allan Poe. Which type of creature does the narrator find inside his prison? A. ghosts B. rats C. cockroaches D. spiders

The following question refers to "The Pit and the Pendulum" by Edgar Allan Poe. When the narrator awakes to find himself on his back with no restraints on him, why is he afraid to open his eyes? A. He hears people in the room, and he does not want them to know that he is awake. B. He cannot see anything without his prescription glasses. C. He is crying and cannot bear to open his eyes and look at his surroundings. D. He fears that he will open his eyes and see nothing but darkness.

What is the definition for "cadence"? A. a disgusting person B. wandering around a large area C. the rhythmic flow of sound or music D. quickly filling up a container