The Turn of the Screw

Multiple Choice and Long Answer questions create ideal opportunities for whole-text review, unit exam, or summative assessments.

Multiple Choice

1. Which of the following conclusions do Douglas’s companions jump to?

A) That he wrote the story himself

B) That there was love between him and the governess

C) That he had fabricated the existence of the manuscript

D) That he attended Trinity College

2. Which of the following assertions could be made about most of the characters in James’s novella?

A) They are directly related to royalty.

B) They are economic migrants.

C) They are facing expulsion from high society.

D) They come from a wealthy background.

3. Which of the following examples from the text regard the British Empire’s colonial legacy?

A) Comments on the expectations of the governess

B) References to characters stationed in India

C) Remarks regarding the necessity of boarding school

D) Innuendos revolving around the possibility of sexual assault

4. Which of the following words best describe the governess’s initial impressions of Flora and Miles throughout her manuscript?

A) Divine

B) Calculated

C) Aloof

D) Chaotic

5. Which of the following implications are made about Peter Quint’s character?

A) That he was an upstanding gentleman from India

B) That he shared an intimate relationship with Mrs. Grose

C) That he behaved inappropriately with the children

D) That he stole most of the children’s dowries during his employment

6. Which of the following words best describes the governess’s reactions as she continues to see apparitions at Bly?

A) Delight

B) Anxiety

C) Fear

D) Curiosity

7. Which of the following conflicts does the author develop over the course of the novella?

A) Good vs. Evil

B) Happiness vs. Sadness

C) Poverty vs. Wealth

D) Hatred vs. love

8. How does the governess initially respond to Miles’s expulsion from school?

A) She arranges a meeting with the headmaster.

B) She reprimands Miles for his inappropriate behavior.

C) She complains to Flora about her brother’s lack of academic prowess.

D) She puts the matter to rest.

9. What do the governess and Mrs. Grose remark about noticing a change in at the end of the story?

A) Flora’s weight

B) Flora’s height

C) Flora’s smile

D) Flora’s age

10. Which of the following statements best summarizes the dialogue between the governess and Mrs. Grose?

A) The governess continually interrupts Mrs. Grose.

B) Mrs. Grose frequently ignores the governess.

C) The governess is too shy to correct Mrs. Grose’s inconsistencies.

D) Mrs. Grose is too ashamed to speak with the governess.

Long Answer

Compose a response of 2-3 sentences, incorporating textual details to support your response.

1. What is the setting of the story? How is the setting of the narrative frame and the inner story similar?

2. What is the format of the story’s narration? How does this format add to the suspense of the story?

3. What is the meaning of the title of James’s story?