TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD Unit Test

This To Kill a Mockingbird Unit Test (PDF) contains 23 comprehension questions, 20 literature questions, and 6 short response prompts. Print this assessment as-is or use the To Kill a Mockingbird Test Maker for a wider selection of customizable test items.

To Kill a Mockingbird Test (48 questions, PDF)

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- 70 Recall and Comprehension (To Kill a Mockingbird multiple choice questions)
- 53 Literary Knowledge and Analysis (To Kill a Mockingbird multiple choice questions)
- 28 Short Answer (To Kill a Mockingbird questions and answers)
- 17 Extended Response Prompts
- 1 Answer Key

To Kill a Mockingbird Unit Test (sample)

Note: In the interest of test security, the sample does not include an answer key. An answer key is provided in the complete resource.

Section 1: Recall and Comprehension questions (multiple-choice)

I like to start with the questions that will build confidence for anyone who read the book faithfully.

Which choice identifies the time and place of To Kill A Mockingbird?
- 1900 in Georgia
- 1935 in Alabama
- 1955 in New York
- 1965 in Virginia
- 1985 in California
Harper Lee wrote and published To Kill a Mockingbird during the…
- Great Depression.
- Women’s Suffrage (right to vote) Movement.
- Temperance Movement (to make drinking alcohol illegal).
- Civil Rights Movement.
Who tells the story of To Kill a Mockingbird?
- Jem
- An unknown being
- Atticus
- B. B. Underwood (a reporter)
- Scout
Scout, Jem, and Dill like to pass free time by…
- Building forts and castles.
- Training animals.
- Playing board games and card games.
- Acting out stories.
Boo Radley is infamous (famous for a bad reason) for…
- Stabbing his father with scissors.
- Crashing a car into the pharmacy.
- Leaving his pregnant wife.
- Voting Republican.
- Assaulting African Americans on the street.
One of Dill’s key character traits is his…
- Bad temper.
- Bravery.
- Cruelty.
- Honesty.
- Imagination.
Atticus Finch’s approach to parenting is best described as…
- Strict and severe.
- Lazy and disinterested.
- Unpredictable and moody.
- Understanding and patient.
Atticus tells Scout and Jem that to kill a mockingbird…
- Is allowed because they carry disease.
- Is a sin because they are harmless.
- You must think like a mockingbird.
- You must be smarter than a mockingbird.
What crime does Jem commit in To Kill a Mockingbird?
- Stealing from a store
- Driving without a license
- Breaking and entering (into the library)
- Vandalism (damaging property)
Atticus reaches the conclusion that Mrs. Dubose was…
- Evil to the core.
- A very brave person.
- A very kind person.
- Blaming others for her own problems.
In Chapter 12 Calpurnia decides that she will have to start calling Jem…
- Mister Jem.
- Saucy boy.
- Detective Holmes.
- Jeremy.
Who shows courage in standing up to the lynch mob?
- Tom Robinson
- Sheriff Tate
- Dill Harris
- Atticus Finch
- Maudie Atkinson
Aunt Alexandra tries to teach Scout…
- To play piano.
- To sew.
- To act like a lady.
- Gymnastics.
- To fight.
During the trial, Atticus asks Mr. Ewell to demonstrate…
- How he entered the house.
- How well he can see.
- How he signs his name.
- How he mixes paint.
In court Atticus acts differently in that he is…
- Energetic and loud.
- Angry and combative (ready to battle).
- Funny and charming.
- Trick question! He acts the same as he always does.
The kids cannot watch the trial because…
- Calpurnia keeps them at home.
- Atticus sends them to Uncle Jack’s.
- Kids are not allowed in the courtroom.
- Trick question! They do watch it.
What did Tom Robinson think of Mayella Ewell?
- He hated and avoided her.
- He felt sorry for her.
- He thought of her “like a daughter.”
- Trick question! He did not think about her at all.
Regarding Tom Robinson’s death, most of the town blames…
- Atticus Finch.
- The “country folk.”
- Judge Taylor.
- Tom Robinson.
- Sheriff Heck Tate.
Which of these topics does Scout learn about in school?
- Native American cultures
- Baking
- Atoms and molecules
- Nazi Germany
- Greek Gods and Goddesses
Aunt Alexandra is especially concerned with…
- Artistic accomplishments.
- International news and events.
- Family backgrounds.
- How much money people make.
- Getting women to vote.
What does Scout dress as for Halloween?
- A ham
- A tree
- A wizard
- A mummy
How does Jem save Boo Radley’s life?
- He finds the evidence that sets him free.
- He uses his training to stop the bleeding.
- He runs for miles to get help.
- Trick question! Boo Radley saves Jem.
Because of the trial, the town votes to change…
- The way they select jurors.
- Some restrictions on African American residents.
- How cases are brought to trial.
- Trick question! Nothing officially changes.

Section 2: Literary Knowledge and Analysis (multiple-choice)

Here are some questions that I would include in a To Kill a Mockingbird Unit Test. I certainly want questions on symbol, point of view, historical context, structure, and word choice.

Language Arts Standards

To Kill a Mockingbird fits within the genre (type) of…
- Memoir.
- Biography.
- Autobiography.
- Narrative fiction.
Which choice represents a THEME TOPIC of To Kill a Mockingbird?
- There are different forms of courage.
- It is a sin to harm the innocent.
- Understanding others
- You should always be yourself.
Which choice is an accurate THEME STATEMENT of To Kill a Mockingbird?
- Incorrect perceptions
- The importance of family
- There are different forms of courage.
- Segregation and racism
- The best way to grow up
The references to birds and animals are mainly used as…
- Characterization.
- Irony.
- Symbols.
- Dialogue.
- Plot events.
Which of the following is NOT an element of the setting of TKM?
- It is during the Great Depression.
- It is a tight-knit town where people know each other.
- Women are viewed and treated differently than men.
- Most people are confused about the segregation rules.
- Most people see religion and morality as important.
“An oppressive odor met us when we crossed the threshold, an odor I had met many times in rain-rotted gray houses where there are coal-oil lamps, water dippers, and unbleached domestic sheets.” This quote is an example of…
- Imagery.
- Conflict.
- Symbol.
- Motif.
- Irony.
The story about Jem and Mrs. Dubose’s flowers is an example of…
- Rhetoric.
- Subplot.
- Foreshadowing.
- Allusion.
- Sound device.
Which of these characters from the novel is the most dynamic?
- Atticus Finch
- Bob Ewell
- Jem Finch
- Dolphus Raymond
- Maudie Atkinson
“Jem gave a reasonable description of Boo: Boo was about six-and-a-half feet tall, judging from his tracks; he dined on raw squirrels and any cats he could catch, that’s why his hands were bloodstained — if you ate an animal raw, you could never wash the blood off. There was a long, jagged scar that ran across his face; what teeth he had were yellow and rotten; his eyes popped, and he drooled most of the time.” This excerpt is mainly an example of…
- A plot event.
- Characterization (of Jem).
- Symbolism.
- Allusion.
- Sound devices.
The fact that a whites-only school celebrates Egyptian culture is an example of…
- Symbolism.
- Foreshadowing.
- Irony.
- Characterization.
- Onomatopoeia.
Part I of To Kill a Mockingbird is childish and full of wonder; the author has established….
- Attitude.
- Mood.
- Setting.
- Figurative language.
- Credibility.
The point of view of the novel is…
- First-person, limited.
- Third-person, limited.
- Third-person, omniscient.
- Second-person, reductive.
Which choice best represents the structure of To Kill a Mockingbird?
- The story is in the present tense and does not flash back or forward.
- There is a single main plot that proceeds from beginning to middle to end.
- There are no main plots. The novel is a series of episodes.
- The structure is complicated by parts, parallel main plots, and subplots.
“‘You’re left-handed, Mr. Ewell,’ said Judge Taylor. Mr. Ewell turned angrily to the judge and said he didn’t see what his being left-handed had to do with it, that he was Christ-fearing man and Atticus Finch was taking advantage of him.” This is mainly an example of…
- A symbol.
- A plot event.
- Irony.
- Figurative language.
- A setting.
Which theme connects the flowers of Mrs. Dubose, Miss Maudie, and Mayella Ewell?
- Men can be cruel.
- Life can end unexpectedly.
- Find joy in living.
- Be positive, and good things will happen.
Which character is LEAST represented by the symbol of the mockingbird?
- Aunt Alexandra
- Scout Finch
- Tom Robinson
- Boo Radley
The main theme of To Kill a Mockingbird focuses on…
- Money.
- Finding your identity.
- Innocence.
- Telling the truth.
- Familial (family) love.
The unique way that the characters and/or narrator speak is called…
- Dialect.
- Figurative language.
- Sensory details / imagery.
- Sound device.
- Monologue.
Which choice is NOT an example of hypocrisy in the novel?
- Miss Gates denounces (argues against) Nazi rule.
- Jem’s class celebrates the Egyptians.
- The town re-elects Atticus after the trial.
- No white people will hire Helen Robinson.
Which choice is NOT an example of a primary source?
- A letter
- A photograph
- A textbook
- Artifacts (objects)

Section 3: Writing Prompts

I selected 6 of the 28 To Kill a Mockingbird questions for this sample. I selected one short answer prompt for each of the following: theme, point of view, symbolism, structure, historical context, and word choice analysis.

To Kill a Mockingbird Short Response

Theme: Lee packs To Kill a Mockingbird with messages about life. Identify one of the minor themes (anything about the innocent or growing up are out) and explain how Lee develops it. Which plot events, characters, etc. develop this minor theme?

Point of view: From what point of view is the story of To Kill a Mockingbird told? Is it a first-person or third-person narrator? Is the narrator limited in knowledge or omniscient? What effect does this point of view have on the telling?

Symbol: The mockingbird of the title is symbolic. (Shocking!) Explain the symbolism of the mockingbird. What does it represent? How does Lee imbue a bird with so much meaning? What is her purpose in creating this symbol?

Structure: Lee develops the main plots of To Kill a Mockingbird in parallel (together and at the same time). Identify the two main plots and explain how they are developed together.

Historical context: To Kill a Mockingbird takes place during the 1930s, but it was published in 1960. Briefly explain how the novel connects to realities and events of the 1950s and 60s.

Word choice: Analyze this excerpt about Jem returning to the Radley house in terms of word choice. Use word choice vocabulary.

“It was no use. I unlatched the back door and held it while he crept down the steps. It must have been two o’clock. The moon was setting, and the lattice-work shadows were fading into fuzzy nothingness. Jem’s white shirt-tail dipped and bobbed like a small ghost dancing away to escape the coming morning. A faint breeze stirred and cooled the sweat running down my sides.”

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168 To Kill a Mockingbird Questions and Answers PDF

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Comprehension Questions (70, multiple-choice)
Language Arts Standards (53, multiple-choice)
Short Response (28)
Extended Response (17)
- - Analyze Theme Development
  - Analyze Connected Themes
  - Scout’s Point of View
  - Point of View in To Kill a Mockingbird
  - Points of View and Irony
  - The Mockingbird: A Famous Symbol
  - Lee’s Other Symbols
  - Analyze Symbolism in Poetry
  - Analyze Symbolism in Narrative
  - Write Narrative Using Symbolism
  - Outline One Plot
  - The Complex Structure of To Kill a Mockingbird
  - Connecting Plots into a Structure
  - Fact and Fiction
  - Historical Context and To Kill a Mockingbird
  - Lee’s Style: Word Choice
  - Argument: Should Mockingbird Fly Away?

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