"Lamb to the Slaughter" Review Questions

What has Mary Maloney done?

• Stabbed her husband with a kitchen knife

• Shot her husband with a handgun

• Left her husband

• Killed her husband with a leg of lamb

Tags

CCSS.RL.8.1

CCSS.RL.8.3

CCSS.W.8.9A

What does Mary most enjoy about time with her husband after work?

• She likes how excited he is to see her.

• She likes his quiet presence.

• She likes talking to him about his day.

• She likes watching their favorite television shows together.

How can Mary tell her is something wrong with her husband?

• He is late coming home.

• He drinks more/faster than usual.

• He does not want a drink.

• He is oddly quiet.

Paragraph 3 says: "The drop of the head as she bent over her sewing was curiously TRANQUIL."

What does TRANQUIL mean in this sentence?

• annoyed

• excited

• bored

• relaxed

Tags

CCSS.L.8.4A

CCSS.L.8.4B

CCSS.RL.8.4

What does Mary do when she sits in front of the mirror after killing Patrick?

• She practices what to say to the grocer.

• She decides what to make for dinner.

• She fixes her makeup before leaving the house.

• She remembers her last trip to the grocery store.

Tags

CCSS.RL.8.1

CCSS.RL.8.3

What does Patrick most likely reveal to Mary?

• That he quit his job

• That he does not want a baby

• That he lost his job

• That he is leaving her

Tags

CCSS.RL.8.1

CCSS.RL.8.3

Paragraphs 33 and 34 state:

"Listen," he said. "I've got something to tell you."

"What is it, darling? What's the matter?"

How does this build suspense for the reader?

• Readers are curious about why Mary continues to make dinner for Patrick.

• Readers are curious about why Mary goes to the grocery store.

• Readers are curious about the details of Patrick's announcement.

• Readers are curious about the details of Patrick's murder.

Tags

CCSS.RL.8.3

CCSS.RL.8.6

CCSS.W.8.3B

Which is NOT an example of dramatic irony?

• The police officers eat the weapon they are looking for.

• Mary calls the police to report that she found Patrick dead.

• Mary tells Sam the grocer that Patrick is tired and she needs some vegetables for dinner.

• Mary waits for Patrick to come home from work.

Tags

CCSS.RL.8.3

CCSS.RL.8.6

Paragraph 50 states, "On the other hand, what about the child? What were the laws about murderers with unborn children? Did they kill them both — mother and child? Or did they wait until the tenth month? What did they do?"

Which statement describes Mary's motivation for covering up her crime?

• She thinks she did nothing wrong.

• She wants to protect her unborn child.

• She is afraid of life in prison.

• She does not want to die.

Tags

CCSS.RL.8.1

CCSS.RL.8.3

Paragraph 93 states that the police officer went to question the grocer: "In fifteen minutes he was back with a page of notes, and there was more whispering, and through her sobbing she heard a few of the whispered phrases — '...acted quite normal… very cheerful… wanted to give him a good supper… peas… cheesecake… impossible that she...'"

How does the detective's conversation with the grocer affect the outcome of the story?

• The police give up on finding the murder weapon near Mary's home.

• The police wonder why Mary was acting so strangely while shopping.

• The police no longer suspect Mary of murdering her husband.

• The police decide to ask Mary to help them solve her husband's murder.

Tags

CCSS.RL.8.3