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Quiz about The TellTale Heart
Quiz about The TellTale Heart

"The Tell-Tale Heart" Trivia Quiz


How much do YOU know about Poe's most famous short story?? Take this quiz and test your memories of grammar school English class.

A multiple-choice quiz by draculanut31. Estimated time: 4 mins.
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Author
draculanut31
Time
4 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
94,158
Updated
Dec 03 21
# Qns
15
Difficulty
Average
Avg Score
10 / 15
Plays
7377
Awards
Top 20% Quiz
Last 3 plays: Guest 77 (11/15), Guest 134 (13/15), Guest 98 (15/15).
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Question 1 of 15
1. What had the madness done for the narrator's senses? Hint


Question 2 of 15
2. What was the reason that the narrator killed the old man? Hint


Question 3 of 15
3. During the week before the narrator killed the old man, how did he act towards him? Hint


Question 4 of 15
4. How long did it take the narrator to place his head into the door so that he could see the old man? Hint


Question 5 of 15
5. For how many nights did the narrator look in upon the old man? Hint


Question 6 of 15
6. Why couldn't the narrator kill the old man on the first night? Hint


Question 7 of 15
7. What did the narrator do by accident-as a result waking the old man? Hint


Question 8 of 15
8. What did the old man cry out when awakened? Hint


Question 9 of 15
9. What was the low, dull, quick sound that the narrator heard? Hint


Question 10 of 15
10. The beating grew louder--what was the new anxiety that seized the narrator at this point? Hint


Question 11 of 15
11. How many times did the old man shriek? Hint


Question 12 of 15
12. After the old man was dead, what was the first thing the narrator did to conceal the body? Hint


Question 13 of 15
13. What was the second thing he did to conceal the body? Hint


Question 14 of 15
14. Why were the police sent to the house? Hint


Question 15 of 15
15. And finally, what was it (according to the narrator) that made him confess to the crime? Hint



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Most Recent Scores
Mar 18 2024 : Guest 77: 11/15
Mar 18 2024 : Guest 134: 13/15
Mar 17 2024 : Guest 98: 15/15
Mar 17 2024 : Guest 51: 15/15
Mar 17 2024 : Guest 82: 8/15
Mar 17 2024 : Guest 172: 15/15
Mar 16 2024 : Guest 202: 11/15
Mar 14 2024 : Guest 202: 14/15
Mar 13 2024 : Guest 176: 14/15

Score Distribution

quiz
Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. What had the madness done for the narrator's senses?

Answer: sharpened them

"The madness had sharpened my senses, not destroyed, not dulled them. Above all was the sense of hearing acute..."
2. What was the reason that the narrator killed the old man?

Answer: his eye

"I think it was his eye--yes it was this! One of his eyes resembled that of a vulture- a pale blue eye, with a film over it. Whenever it ran upon me my blood ran cold...."
3. During the week before the narrator killed the old man, how did he act towards him?

Answer: kind

"I was never kinder to the old man than during the whole week before I killed him."
4. How long did it take the narrator to place his head into the door so that he could see the old man?

Answer: an hour

"It took me an hour to place my whole head within the opening so far that I could see him as he lay upon his bed."
5. For how many nights did the narrator look in upon the old man?

Answer: 8

"...and I did this for seven long nights--every night just at midnight-every night just at twelve...Upon the eighth night I was more than usually cautious in opening the door."
6. Why couldn't the narrator kill the old man on the first night?

Answer: the eye was closed

"...but I found the eye always closed; and so it was impossible to do the work; for it was not the old man who vexed me, but his Evil Eye."
7. What did the narrator do by accident-as a result waking the old man?

Answer: his thumb slipped on the lantern

The narrator quietly laughed at the thought that the old man didn't have any idea about what he was up to, but this did not wake the old man up. It was when the narrator's thumb slipped on the tin fastening of the lantern that he woke the old man up.
8. What did the old man cry out when awakened?

Answer: "Who's there?"

"I kept quite still and said nothing. For a whole hour I did not move a muscle, and in the meantime I did not hear him lie down."
9. What was the low, dull, quick sound that the narrator heard?

Answer: the old man's heartbeat

"I knew THAT sound well too. It was the beating of the old man's heart. It increased my fury, as the beating of a drum stimulates the soldier into courage."
10. The beating grew louder--what was the new anxiety that seized the narrator at this point?

Answer: the sound being heard by neighbors

"...the old man's hour had come! With a loud yell, I threw open the lantern and leaped into the room."
11. How many times did the old man shriek?

Answer: once

"He shrieked once- once only."
12. After the old man was dead, what was the first thing the narrator did to conceal the body?

Answer: dismembered it

"I cut off the head and the arms and the legs." Ick! This was the first thing he did.
13. What was the second thing he did to conceal the body?

Answer: buried it beneath the floor

THEN he buried the body under the floor.
14. Why were the police sent to the house?

Answer: a shriek was heard

A neighbor had heard the old man shriek and suspected foul play. The police were called to investigate it.
15. And finally, what was it (according to the narrator) that made him confess to the crime?

Answer: the old man's heartbeat

In my English class our teacher theorized that the guilt of the narrator was ultimately what made the narrator confess. Good theory. The narrator hears a sound and swears that the sound was NOT his own. He insists that the heartbeat belonged to the old man, and could not figure out why the police officers couldn't hear it as well. We know that the hearbeat was his own, but we are taking this from the standpoint of the narrator, not our own rational minds.

It is a tricky question. This is one of the first stories of Poe that I read, in the 8th grade, and this is the one that got me hooked on Poe forever. I hope you enjoyed the quiz.
Source: Author draculanut31

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor bullymom before going online.
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