AnswersSecond Semester English 11Reflecting on World War I

Trifles: The Rise of Modern Feminism on the Stage, Part 2 Answers

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Read the excerpt from part one of Trifles.COUNTY ATTORNEY (with the gallantry of a young politician). And yet, for all their worries, what would we do without the ladies?What is the primary purpose of these stage directions?

A
to further establish the time period
B
to indicate a character’s tone of voice
C
to direct actions that take place onstage
D
to describe a character’s thoughts
2
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Which excerpt from Trifles contains a stage direction?

A
SHERIFF (looking about). It’s just the same.
B
COUNTY ATTORNEY. Somebody should have been left here yesterday.
C
HALE. Well, she looked queer.
D
MRS. HALE. Well, I don’t know as Wright had, either.
3

Read the excerpt from part one of Trifles.COUNTY ATTORNEY (with the gallantry of a young politician).Which best describes the effect of the word “gallantry” in this excerpt?

A
It creates the setting by hinting at a period in time when men were more inclined to treat women with respect.
B
It develops the conflict by creating tension as the other men in the story realize the County Attorney actually sympathizes with women.
C
It enhances the theme of the story by showing that some men are capable of treating women with respect, even if it does not seem so.
D
It characterizes the County Attorney as someone desirous of showing respect to women, even if he does not mean it.
4

Read the excerpt from part one of Trifles.HALE. So I knocked again, and I thought I heard somebody say, “Come in.” I wasn’t sure, I’m not sure yet, but I opened the door—this door (indicating the door by which the two women are still standing), and there in that rocker—(pointing to it) sat Mrs. Wright. What can you infer about Hale based on both the dialogue and stage directions in this excerpt?

A
He is easily upset and becomes wildly animated as a means of expressing his upset.
B
He is prone to wild gestures and exaggerated descriptions of things that have occurred.
C
He is desirous of making it seem as though Mrs. Wright is guilty of killing her husband.
D
He is eager to relay the details of the incident with as much accuracy as possible.
5

Which of the following excerpts from part one of Trifles suggests that Mrs. Hale believes Mrs. Wright may have had a motive for killing her husband?

A
MRS. HALE. I’d hate to have men coming into my kitchen, snooping around and criticizing.
B
MRS. HALE. She used to wear pretty clothes and be lively, when she was Minnie Foster, one of the town girls singing in the choir.
C
MRS. HALE. Well, I guess John Wright didn’t wake when they was slipping that rope under his neck.
D
MRS. HALE. That’s just what Mr. Hale said. There was a gun in the house. He says that’s what he can’t understand.
6

Read the excerpt from part one of Trifles.SHERIFF. Nothing here but kitchen things. (The County Attorney, after again looking around the kitchen, opens the door of a cupboard closet. He gets up on a chair and looks on a shelf. Pulls his hand away, sticky.) COUNTY ATTORNEY. Here’s a nice mess. (The women draw nearer.) MRS. PETERS (to the other woman). Oh, her fruit; it did freeze. (To the Lawyer). She worried about that when it turned so cold. She said the fire’d go out and her jars would break.What do the underlined stage directions suggest about the women, Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters?

A
They are totally fascinated by what the County Attorney is saying.
B
They are being polite by attempting to move nearer to the speaker.
C
They share a bond as women and are instinctively curious.
D
They are attempting to hide something by distracting the speaker.
7

Read the excerpt from part one of Trifles.HALE. Well, she looked queer.COUNTY ATTORNEY. How do you mean—queer?HALE. Well, as if she didn’t know what she was going to do next. And kind of done up.Which word has a meaning similar to “queer” as it is used in this excerpt?

A
doubtful
B
strange
C
pensive
D
irrational
8

Read the excerpt from part one of Trifles.COUNTY ATTORNEY. Dirty towels! (Kicks his foot against the pans under the sink.) Not much of a housekeeper, would you say, ladies?What does this excerpt emphasize about the character of the County Attorney?

A
his strong belief in a woman’s domestic role
B
his fervent desire to solve all types of crime
C
his awkward shyness when dealing with women
D
his passionate desire to keep things orderly
9

Read the excerpt from part one of Trifles.COUNTY ATTORNEY. How did she seem to feel about you coming?HALE. Why, I don’t think she minded—one way or the other. She didn’t pay much attention. I said, “How do, Mrs. Wright, it’s cold, ain’t it?” And she said, “Is it?”—and went on kind of pleating at her apron. . . . And then she—laughed. I guess you would call it a laugh.How does this dialogue further develop the idea that Mrs. Wright may have had a motive for killing her husband?

A
It suggests that she has actually gone insane.
B
It suggests that she finds death humorous.
C
It suggests that she did not care about his death.
D
It suggests that she is hiding her real emotions.
10

Read the excerpt from part one of Trifles. MRS. HALE (abruptly moving toward her). Mrs. Peters?Which best describes the effect of the word “abruptly” in the excerpt?

A
The use of the word abruptly heightens the conflict by revealing to the reader that Mrs. Hale is becoming increasingly anxious.
B
The use of the word abruptly characterizes Mrs. Hale as someone who is aggressive and assertive by nature.
C
The use of the word abruptly quickens the plot by making it appear as though the characters in the play are rushed.
D
The use of the word abruptly adds to the mysterious mood in the scene as the reader is left to wonder why Mrs. Hale is upset.

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