Catcher in the Rye Test Questions

Directions: Copy your 20 original test questions into the graphic organizer below. Be sure to
organize your questions based on their level of questioning according to Blooms Taxonomy.

**EXAMPLE FORMAT**
Blooms
Level of
Questioning

Knowled
ge
Question
s

TEST QUESTIONS

1. Who is Holden talking to when he is smoking and watching the

sunrise?
a. Phoebe
b. Allie
c. his parents
d. Mr. Spencer

2. Where is Holden at the end of the book?

a.
b.
c.
d.

Compreh
ension
Question
s

Mental hospital
Doctors
Mr. Spencers
Pencey
1. Which example best shows Holdens use of style in language
throughout the novel?
a.
b.Life is a game, boy. Life is a game that no one plays by the
rules... Game, my ass. Some game. If you get on a side where all
the hotshots are, then its a game, all right-Ill admit that. But if you
get on the other side, where there aren't any hot-shots, then whats
a game about it? Nothing. No game(p. 80
c."I'm quite illiterate, but I read a lot." Chapter 3, pg. 18
D. "If you want to know the truth, I'm a virgin. I really am. I've had quite
a few opportunities to lose my virginity and all, but I've never got around
to it yet." Chapter 13, pg. 92

2. Which quote shows Holdens loneliness?

A. "I kept walking and walking up Fifth Avenue, without any tie on or
anything. Then all of a sudden, something very spooky started happening.
Every time I came to the end of a block and stepped off the goddam curb,

Skill
addressed

Catcher in the Rye Test Questions

I had this feeling that I'd never get to the other side of the street. I
thought I'd just go down, down, down, and nobody'd ever see me again."
Chapter 25, pg. 197

B. The first thing I did when I got off at Penn Station, i went into
this phone booth. I felt like giving somebody a buzz...but as soon as
i was up, i couldn't think of anybody to call up ( p. 66)
C."Don't ever tell anybody anything. If you do, you start missing
everybody." Chapter 25, pg. 214

D. all of the above

3. Which quote displays Holdens childish attitude towards life?
A."The goddam movies. They can ruin you. I'm not kidding." Chapter
14, pg. 104

B."'If a body catch a body coming through the rye.'" Chapter 16, pg.
115

C."If you want to know the truth, I'm a virgin. I really am. I've had
quite a few opportunities to lose my virginity and all, but I've never got
around to it yet." Chapter 13, pg. 92

D. Life is a game, boy. Life is a game that no one plays by the

rules... Game, my ass. Some game. If you get on a side where all
the hotshots are, then its a game, all right-Ill admit that. But if you
get on the other side, where there arent any hot-shots, then whats
a game about it? Nothing. No game(p.

1. Which quote best creates a tone?

Applicati
on
Question
s

a.I have a feeling that youre riding for some kind of terrible
terrible fall The whole arrangements designed for men who, at
some time or other in their lives, were looking for something in their
own environment couldnt supply them with...So they gave up
looking
B. "'If a body catch a body coming through the rye.'" Chapter 16, pg.
115

C. "If you want to know the truth, I'm a virgin. I really am. I've had
quite a few opportunities to lose my virginity and all, but I've never got
around to it yet." Chapter 13, pg. 92

Catcher in the Rye Test Questions

D. "The goddam movies. They can ruin you. I'm not kidding." Chapter
14, pg. 104

2. What theme does this quote best apply to?

Then the carousel started, and I watched her go round and
round...All the kids tried to grab for the gold ring, and so was old
Phoebe, and i was sort of afraid shed fall off the goddam horse, but
i didn't say or do anything. The thing with kids is, if they want to
grab for the gold ring, you have to let them do it, and not say
anything. If they fall off, they fall off, but it is bad to say anything to
them.

A.
B.
C.
D.

The innocence and longing of childhood

Confidence
loneliness
Everyone is a phony
4. In what scenes does Holden act hypocritical and acts as a
phoney?

a.
b.
c.
d.

When he buys the girls drinks at the bar

The conversation on the train
When he smokes and reminisces on Allie
A and B only
5. Short answer: What is the meaning of the museum scene? What
theme is taken from this scene and what tone is created by it?
1. How does Holdens dislike of Romeo and Juliet reflect his view on
phoniness or loneliness?
2. How does the way Holden wears the red hat reflect himself?

Analysis
QuestionA.
s

3. Which quote shows Holdens softer, more sensitive side?

"She was a pretty spooky kid. Even with that little bitty voice she had, she
could sort of scare you a little bit. If she'd been a big old prostitute, with a
lot of makeup on her face and all, she wouldn't have been half as spooky."
Chapter 13, pg. 98

B. "'If a body catch a body coming through the rye.'" Chapter 16, pg.
115

Catcher in the Rye Test Questions

C. You know those ducks in that lagoon right near Central Park
South?...by any chance, do you happen to know where they go, the
ducks, when it gets all frozen over?(p.
D. "The thing with kids is, if they want to grab for the gold ring, you
have to let them do it, and not say anything. If they fall off, they fall off,
but it's bad if you say anything to them." Chapter 25, pg. 211

4. Infer what would happen if Holden did not go to New York. Would
his life be similar or different?
5. Outline the main theme of the novel, and give evidence as to
why this theme is the most influencial.

Synthesi
s
Question
s

1. ...Im standing on the edge of some crazy cliff. What I have to

do, I have to catch everybody if they start to go over the cliff- I
mean if theyre running and they dont look where theyre going I
have to come out from somewhere and catch them. Thats all id do
all day. Id just be the catcher in the rye and all.

Create an alternate scene where Holden is only talking literally.

What is Holden trying to tell us here? Essentially, translate.
2. Compare the tone of these two quotes and how they affect
Holden.
I have a feeling that youre riding for some kind of terrible terrible
fall The whole arrangements designed for men who, at some time
or other in their lives, were looking for something in their own
environment couldnt supply them with...So they gave up looking

"Certain things they should stay the way they are. You ought to be able to
stick them in one of those big glass cases and just leave them alone. I
know that's impossible, but it's too bad anyway." Chapter 16, pg. 122

3. Create a definition of phoney from Holdens point of view and

Catcher in the Rye Test Questions

another of your own definition, then compare and contrast the two.

Evaluatio
n
Question
s

1. With knowledge of Salinger, compare Holden to Salinger.

2. The best thing though, in that museum was that everything
stayed right where it was. Nobodyd move...Nobodyd be different.
The only thing that would be different would be you (p
Explain this quote and how it relays the theme of innocence of
childhood and adulthood.

Rubric
Blooms level addressed in the question Number of questions

Points

Knowledge Questions

4 pts

Comprehension Questions

6 pts

Application Questions

10 pts

Analysis Questions

10 pts

Synthesis Questions

6 pts

Evaluation Questions

4 pts

Skill addressed in the question

Number of questions

Word Choice

4 pts

Meaning

4 pts

Rhetorical Elements

4 pts

Catcher in the Rye Test Questions

Tone

4 pts

Compare/Contrast representations

4 pts

From the 20 questions total, 12 use

specific quotations or passages
from Catcher in the Rye

15 pts

Test typed in example format

Test contains answer key.
Test is printed on due date.

15 pts

Score on another peers test

10 pts