The Outsiders, Chapter 2 quiz

Questions and answers

1. 1

   Question 1. Where do Ponyboy, Johnny, and Dally go at the beginning of Chapter 2?

   • A bowling alley on the East Side
   • The vacant lot near Johnny's house
   • A diner downtown
   • Correct answer: The Nightly Double drive-in

   The three boys go to the Nightly Double drive-in movie theater, sneaking in over the back fence.

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2. 2

   Question 2. How does Cherry Valance respond to Dally's harassment at the drive-in?

   • She ignores him completely
   • Correct answer: She throws a Coke in his face
   • She calls the police
   • She asks Ponyboy to make him stop

   Cherry stands up to Dally by throwing her Coke in his face, even though, as she admits afterward, he had her scared to death.

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3. 3

   Question 3. Why does Dally walk away when Johnny tells him to stop bothering the girls?

   • Correct answer: Johnny is the only person Dally respects enough to listen to
   • Cherry threatens to call the cops on Dally if he stays
   • Two-Bit shows up and forces Dally to leave the girls
   • Dally is afraid of the switchblade Johnny now carries

   Ponyboy explains that Johnny is the one person Dally would not challenge — if anyone else had asked, Dally would have 'flattened him without a moment's hesitation.'

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4. 4

   Question 4. What happened to Johnny before the events of the novel that left him scarred?

   • He was injured in a fire at his house
   • He was cut up in a knife fight at The Dingo
   • Correct answer: He was beaten severely by a group of Socs
   • He was beaten up by Tim Shepard's gang

   Johnny was jumped and badly beaten by Socs, one of whom wore heavy rings that cut and scarred his face.

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5. 5

   Question 5. Why did Cherry and Marcia leave their boyfriends that evening?

   • Correct answer: Their boyfriends had brought booze along
   • They had a fight about the greasers
   • Their boyfriends stood them up for the movie
   • Their boyfriends were flirting with other girls

   Cherry and Marcia walked out on their boyfriends when they found out the boys had brought some booze to the drive-in; Cherry says watching people get drunk is not her idea of a good time.

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6. 6

   Question 6. What do Cherry and Ponyboy discover they have in common?

   • They both barrel race at rodeos
   • They both enjoy reading poetry
   • Correct answer: They go to the same school
   • They both have absent parents

   Ponyboy recognizes Cherry as a cheerleader at his school and tells her, "We go to the same school." He got put up a year in grade school, so he is already in high school at fourteen.

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7. 7

   Question 7. What does Pony tell Cherry about Johnny's earlier beating?

   • That Tim Shepard's outfit jumped Johnny in the lot
   • Correct answer: That a Soc wearing heavy rings scarred Johnny's face
   • That Johnny was jumped while walking home from school
   • That Johnny could not remember anything about it

   Ponyboy tells Cherry the whole story: four Socs in a blue Mustang caught Johnny in the lot, and one of them had a lot of rings on his hand, which is what cut him up so badly and left a scar.

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8. 8

   Question 8. What is the meaning of Cherry's statement 'things are rough all over'?

   • The weather has been difficult that year
   • Greasers and Socs are both losing friends to fights
   • The economy is bad for everyone in town
   • Correct answer: Even Socs face their own problems and hardships

   Cherry means that wealth and social status do not protect people from suffering — Socs have their own struggles, just as greasers do.

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9. 9

   Question 9. Which of these events actually happened in this chapter?

   • Did Ponyboy and Johnny pay for their tickets at the Nightly Double drive-in?

     Didn't happen

     Despite having enough money to pay, Ponyboy, Johnny, and Dally sneak in over the back fence — a small act of greaser rebellion.

   • Did Cherry know about Johnny's beating before Ponyboy told her?

     Didn't happen

     Cherry only guesses that Johnny has been "hurt bad sometime"; Ponyboy then tells her the story of the beating, and she turns as white as a sheet.

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10. 10

    Question 10. What does 'roguishly' mean as used in Chapter 2?

    • Correct answer: In a playfully mischievous manner
    • In a shy, timid, and nervous manner
    • In a sincere and polite manner
    • In an angry and threatening manner

    'Roguishly' means in a playfully mischievous way, like a rogue — Dally grins roguishly and offers Cherry a Coke right after she asks him to be nice and leave them alone.

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11. 11

    Question 11. What does 'nonchalantly' mean in the context of this chapter?

    • With great enthusiasm and open excitement
    • Correct answer: In a casually calm manner showing little concern
    • In a nervous and anxious manner showing worry
    • In an angry, rude, and confrontational way

    'Nonchalantly' means in a casually calm and relaxed manner — the greasers try to appear nonchalant around the Soc girls.

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12. 12

    Question 12. What does 'incredulous' mean when Cherry gives Dally an incredulous look?

    • Extremely curious about something
    • Frightened by an unexpected event
    • Deeply saddened or hurt by something
    • Correct answer: Unwilling or unable to believe something

    'Incredulous' means unable to believe something — Cherry gives Dally an incredulous look when he hands her a Coke after his dirty talk, and then she throws the Coke in his face.

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