Catcher in the Rye Test

Knowledge
1) Why does Holden write the paper over a baseball glove?
a. He loved baseball as a child
b. He wants to rant about the phonies who plays sports.
c. The baseball glove was he brothers who passed away years ago
d. The glove was his as a child and he wants to write about the memories he created with it
2) Define the word based on the context given
Well, a bunch of us wanted old Ernie to be president of the class. I mean, he was the
unanimous choice.
a. Unknown
b. United
c. Divided
d. Understood
Comprehension:
1) Read the sentence and answer the question.
I didn't want to be around when I first got in. My mother gets very hysterical. (Salinger
58).
Why would his mother be hysterical?
a. She is just so happy to see him
b. She would be upset with him for leaving Pencey early
c. Holden lost all his money
d. Her lack of emotion depresses Holden
2) What does Holden assume of Janes past?
a. Her mother and father spoiled her
b. She was always dancing to distract herself
c. Her father was an abusive booze hound
d. Jane was always dating a different boy every week
3) Read the passage below and answer the question
You can take it all. You can pay me a back. Bring it to the play....Then all of a sudden I
started to cry. I couldn't help it. I did it so nobody could hear me, but I did it. (Salinger 198).
Why does Holden lose it?
a. Holden doesn't want to go to the play because it will depress him
b. It wasnt enough for him to buy a ticket away from home
c. He gave Phoebe that money for Christmas
d. He realizes its the begin to the hardships in the adulthood Holden fears
4) Which quote best describes Holdens apprehension in sexual activity?
a. Ive have quite a few opportunities to lose my virginity and all, but I have never got
around to it (Salinger 103).
b. Most guys at Pencey just talked about sexual intercourse with girls pg 55
c. Sex is something I really don't understand too hot. You never know where the hell you
are. I keep making up these sex rules for myself, and then I break them right away./.

d. All of the above

Application
Read the passage and answer the question,
I'm pretty sure he yelled Good Luck! At me. I hope not. I hope to hell not. Id never yell
Good luck! At anybody. It sounds terrible when you think about it. (Salinger 19).
1) What tone does the author convey in this sentence from the passage?
a. Humorous
b. Optimistic
c. Cynical
d. Doubtful
2) Why is it ironic that Holden involves Phoebe in his running away?
a. Phoebe is planning on running away too.
b. He wishes to protect innocence, yet he is corrupting her by doing so.
c. Phoebe hates her parents too and has always wanted to disobey them.
d. Phoebe is planning on running away to New York City.
3) Read the passage and answer the questions
Im one of those yellow guys...I wouldnt have the guts to do it. Id just stand there, trying to
look tough. (Salinger 99).
What can you infer yellow means based on the passage below?
a. A person who wants peace
b. Someone who is too lazy to fight
c. A coward, too afraid to stand up
d. A happy person
4) Use passage below addresses which of the following
Ackley took another look at my hat . . .Thats a deer shooting hat.
Like hell it is. I took it off and looked at it. I sort of closed one eye, like I was taking aim at
it. This is a people shooting hat, I said. I shoot people in this hat.
What is the significance of Holdens hat?
a. It makes him recall the hunting trips he loved to have with his father
b. It was similar to what his little brother, Allie war when he was in the hospital
c. He feels like a new and different person when he wears it
d. He uses it as an escape from the phonies
What is Mr. Antonioni trying to explain to Holden?
a. People makes mistakes and learn from them in the future
b. The education system is poetry
c. Educating himself will make him feel less alone by learning from the mistakes of others
d. If one person fails a task, he should succeed from learning from their mistakes.
Analysis
1) What would you infer about Holdens opinion of Ackley judging from this passage?
It was Robert Ackley, this guy that roomed right next to me... He was probably the only
guy in the whole dorm, besides me, that wasn't down at the game... He was a very peculiar
guy...I wasn't too crazy about him, to tell you the truth (Salinger 23).

a. Ackley is one of Holdens only friends, he just is a judging person

b. Holden has a negative opinion of Ackley, just like the rest of the world.
c. Holdens cynical thinking causes reader to assume he hates him, however, Ackley is
actually one of the few people Holden tolerates interacting with.
d. Ackley is annoying in Holdens eyes and he pushes his way into his life and he only
temporarily hates him.
2) How does Holdens tone in this passage reflect his feelings on sick people?
Everything smelled like Vicks Nose Drops. It was pretty depressing. I'm not to crazy
about sick people, anyway (Salinger 10).
a. It shows his negative opinion of Vicks Nose Drops
b. The passing of his brother, Allie causes him to dislike the being around people who are
sick
c. He carries a hopeful tone with high spirits for potential health
d. None of the above
3) Compare and Contrast the words of Mr. Antonelli and Mr. Spencer, how are they different?
a. Mr. Antonelli cares deeply for Holden and his success, while Mr. Spencer just is
frustrated by his lack of success.
b. Holden is closer to Mr. Antonelli and respects his opinions while Holden views Mr.
Spencer as a patronizing teacher
c. Mr. Antonelli isnt as close with Holden as Mr. Spencer is
d. Mr. Antonelli is concerned with Holdens future while Mr. Spencer only cares about his
current failures
4) How are the words of the two alike?
a. Both think Holden is a failure
b. The two teacher care about Holden and wish he would try to succeed
c. Both are worried that Holden is mentally unstable and in danger of himself
d. Nothing is similar between the two
5) What is the significance of the pond being partly frozen and partly not frozen?
a. It is a metaphor for Holdens life, and his transition from childhood to adulthood
b. Holden worries the fish will die it the pond is completely frozen
c. It signify Holdens hatred of nature
d. It represent the changing New York whether
Synthesis
1) How does the first person point of view influence the tone of the novel?
a. Holden optimism causes the readers to enjoy hearing about his uplifting opinions
b. Holdens bias opinion about private schools makes the reader hate Pency.
c. Holden's negative, dry sense of humor creates a cynical tone
d. Holdens hatred for children creates a pessimistic tone.
2) Use the passage below to answer the following questions.
If you really want to hear about it, the first thing youll probably want to know is where I
was born, and what my lousy childhood was like, and how my parents were occupied and all

before they had me, and all that David Copperfield kind of crap, but I don't feel like going into it,
if you want to know the truth.
What is the author's style of writing in this passage?
a. Formal
b. Emotional
c. Serious
d. Casual
3) Use the quote from the novel to answer the question.
"Many, many men have been just as troubled morally and spiritually as you are right
now. ... You'll learn from themif you want to. Just as someday, if you have something to offer,
someone will learn something from you. It's a beautiful reciprocal arrangement. And it isn't
education. It's history. It's poetry.
Evaluation
1) Holden rants about the phony people in life from start to end. However, Holden
seems to be a hypocrite. Does Holden follow his own rules? Or is he also constantly pretending
to be someone hes not?
2) Analyze the significance of the nuns on the train? How does Holden feel about them?
What do they symbolize?