To Kill a Mockingbird, Chapter 7 quiz

Questions and answers

1. 1

   Question 1. What does Jem tell Scout happened to his pants when he went back for them at the Radley fence?

   • Correct answer: They had been removed, mended, and folded over the fence
   • They had been torn to shreds by a dog
   • They were gone entirely, taken inside the house
   • They were still tangled in the wire where he left them

   Jem reveals that his pants had been taken off the wire, crudely sewn back together, and folded neatly over the fence, as if someone expected him to return.

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2. 2

   Question 2. How does Jem describe the stitching on his mended pants?

   • Perfect and invisible, as if done by a professional
   • Correct answer: Crooked, like something he would try to do himself
   • Done with bright red thread that stood out
   • Held together with safety pins instead of thread

   Jem says the stitching was crooked, "not like a lady sewed 'em, like somethin' I'd try to do," suggesting whoever mended them did it with clumsy but genuine care.

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3. 3

   Question 3. Which gift in the knothole most clearly shows the gift-giver has been watching Scout and Jem closely?

   • The tarnished spelling-bee medal
   • The ball of gray twine
   • The pack of chewing gum
   • Correct answer: The two soap figures carved to look like the children

   The soap figures are carved to resemble Scout and Jem, proving the gift-giver has observed them carefully enough to capture their likenesses.

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4. 4

   Question 4. What reason does Nathan Radley give for filling the knothole with cement?

   • He says squirrels were nesting in the hole and causing damage
   • He says children should not take things that don't belong to them
   • Correct answer: He says the tree is dying and the cement will prevent decay
   • He says Boo asked him to seal it for privacy

   Nathan claims the tree is dying and that filling the knothole with cement will keep it from rotting further—an explanation Atticus later contradicts.

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5. 5

   Question 5. What does Atticus say about the health of the tree after Jem asks him?

   • Correct answer: He says the tree is perfectly healthy
   • He says he cannot tell without consulting an arborist
   • He refuses to get involved in Radley family matters
   • He agrees with Nathan that the tree looks sick

   Atticus points out that the leaves are green and full and says the tree is as healthy as Jem is, though he adds that Mr. Radley surely knows more about his own trees.

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6. 6

   Question 6. What were Jem and Scout planning to leave in the knothole before discovering the cement?

   • A small toy as a return gift
   • A photograph of themselves
   • Correct answer: A thank-you note to the gift-giver
   • A list of questions for Boo Radley

   Jem and Scout composed a thank-you note to whoever had been leaving the gifts, planning to place it in the knothole the next day.

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7. 7

   Question 7. What is Scout's experience with second grade in Chapter 7?

   • She is finally allowed to read and write freely in her class
   • Correct answer: She finds it no more intellectually stimulating than first grade
   • She is sent home for fighting with classmates in the schoolyard
   • She finds it far more interesting and challenging than first grade

   Scout describes second grade as just as monotonous and unstimulating as first grade, continuing her dissatisfaction with formal schooling.

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8. 8

   Question 8. What does Jem do with the broken pocket watch from the knot-hole?

   • He puts it back in the knot-hole for its owner to find
   • He gives it to Atticus to be repaired by a jeweler in town
   • He sells it to a boy at school for about ten dollars
   • Correct answer: He tries to fix it himself, but it still will not run

   Jem asks Atticus if he may keep the broken watch instead of carrying his grandfather's, hoping to fix it. He does a fair job, but with a spring and two tiny pieces left over, it still will not run.

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9. 9

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

   • Jem and Scout successfully leave their thank-you note in the knothole for the gift-giver.

     Didn't happen

     They wrote the note but never got to leave it. When they arrived at the tree, Nathan Radley had already filled the knothole with cement.

   • Atticus confirms that the Radley tree appears healthy when Jem asks about it.

     Happened

     Atticus examines the tree and tells Jem it looks perfectly healthy, contradicting Nathan Radley's claim that the tree is dying.

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10. 10

    Question 10. In the context of Chapter 7, what is a "knot-hole"?

    • Correct answer: A natural hole in a tree where a branch once grew
    • A man-made hiding spot cut into the bark of a tree
    • A crack between the boards of a wooden porch floor
    • A decorative carving cut into the top of a fence post

    A knot-hole is a natural cavity in a tree trunk formed where a branch fell away or rotted. In this chapter, the knot-hole in the tree at the corner of the Radley lot is where someone keeps leaving gifts for Jem and Scout.

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11. 11

    Question 11. When something is described as "tarnished," it means:

    • It has been bent or physically damaged
    • It has been recently polished to a high shine
    • Correct answer: It has lost its luster and become dull or discolored
    • It has been deliberately painted a dark color

    Tarnished means dulled or discolored through exposure to air or moisture. The spelling-bee medal in the knothole is described as tarnished, indicating it is old and has lost its original shine.

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12. 12

    Question 12. The word "meditative," as in the pat Jem gives the cemented tree, best describes something that is:

    • Hasty, careless, and done without any real thought
    • Correct answer: Thoughtful and absorbed in quiet reflection
    • Soothing and meant to calm or heal
    • Nervous and unable to keep still

    Meditative means thoughtful or absorbed in quiet reflection. After Mr. Nathan fills the knot-hole with cement, Jem gives the tree a meditative pat and remains deep in thought.

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