The Adventures of Tom Sawyer Quizzes

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer Quiz 1

By Andrea Tao · Last reviewed May 10, 2000

1 What superstitious item do Tom and Huck carry to the graveyard?

marbles

a Bible

a dead cat

a cross
2 What phrase does Twain associate with Huck?

"a bad, vicious, vulgar child"

"a generous, good-hearted soul"

"a prodigious personage"

"the juvenile pariah"
3 What gift does Tom bestow upon Becky?

a brass knob

a piece of chewing gum

a piece of cake

an entire bag of marbles
4 In the novel, what is the first thing Tom is punished for?

skipping school

stealing a ham

stealing sugar

eating jam
5 According to Twain, which of the following is considerably rare?

a well-behaved child

a succinct prayer

a headstrong young lady

a well-bred choir
6 When Injun Joe frames Muff Potter for murder, Tom and Huck expect:

Muff Potter to accuse Injun Joe of the murder.

A lightening bolt to come from the sky.

Aunt Polly to begin crying.

Ghosts to rise from the graves.
7 Before Becky Thatcher, whom was Tom engaged to?

Susy Harper

Mary Thompkins

Amy Lawrence

none of the above
8 To whom does the knife found at the murder scene belong?

Dr. Robinson

The deaf-and-dumb Spaniard

Muff Potter

Injun Joe
9 Why do Tom and Huck sneak to the graveyard at midnight?

To cure warts

To seek out witches

To spy on the ghosts and spirits

To find their lost marbles
10 Complete the following quote: "_____ consist of whatever a body is obliged to do, and that _____ consist of whatever a body is not obliged to do."

Play, Work

Study, Play

Love, Hate

Work, Play
11 Who does Tom kiss out of pity and love?

Aunt Polly

Amy Lawrence

Becky Thatcher

none of the above
12 What is Tom's pirate name on Jackson Island?

Robinhood, the Noble Robber

The Terror of the Seas

The Black Avenger of the Spanish Main

Tom the Red-Handed
13 What archetype does Twain use to symbolize a turning point in Tom's adventures?

a candle

the river

the wind

a storm
14 How does the reader know that Tom is actually a clever child?

Tom expresses deep sympathy for Aunt Polly.

Tom's insight on human nature exceeds the understanding of other children.

Never able to sit still, Tom craves adventure and the frontier life.

Tom's achievements in school are levels higher than the rest of his peers.
15 Which of the following is best personified by Huck's character in the novel?

frontier life

nature's wonders

idyllic boyhood

the mystery of the river
16 What is the significance of the stray dog howling at Muff Potter?

It represents Injun Joe's curse on Muff potter.

It is symbolic of Muff Potter's animal-like instinct.

It is symbolic of Huck's animal-like instinct.

It foreshadows the trouble that Muff will encounter.
17 What does Twain compare the Sunday-school superintendent to?

a springboard

a riverboat ferry winding down the Mississippi

a solo singer on a platform

a circus clown
18 Why does Injun Joe murder Dr. Robinson?

The doctor refuses to pay Injun Joe the full amount for grave robbing.

Dr. Robinson's father had once ordered Injun Joe to be horsewhipped.]

Injun Joe is seeking revenge for events in the past.

Injun Joe wishes to frame Muff Potter as revenge.
19 What is ironic about the Sunday School scene where Judge Thatcher is a guest?

The Judge knows the truth about Dr. Robinson's murder.

Tom does not know the answer to Mrs. Thatcher's question.

The adults behave just as immature as the their pupils.

The minister gives a long-winded prayer.
20 It is ironic that Tom and Huck mistake the figures in the graveyard for "devils" because:

both children are aware that devils do not exist in reality.

the men mistake Tom and Huck for devils as well.

the grown men become more frightening than if they were devils.

the image of the devil is something that appears again in the novel.
21 When Tom and his "pirate gang" cross the river to Jackson Island, what does the image of the river symbolize?

a rite of passage

their final step to maturity

their attempt to escape their fears

Tom's own conscience
22 Why does Twain fill his descriptions of Jackson Island with images of the wildlife?

He wishes to show his own appreciation for nature's wonders.

He attempts to contrast the scenic atmosphere of the island with the dark atmosphere of MacDougal's Cave.

The wildlife reinforces the animic beliefs of the children.

He portrays the animalistic nature of the boys when they are separated from society.
23 In the novel, what is the significance of the Bible text: "I am the Resurrection and the Life?"

Aunt Polly's religious belief is so unyielding that she believes her prayer will resurrect Tom from what she believes to be his watery death.

It is ironic that the minister would use a prayer about resurrection in a time of loss and mourning.

The text foreshadows the boys' appearance at their won funeral after being presumed dead.

The text is juxtaposed against the ghastly image of Dr. Robinson's murder - in other words, the taking of a life rather than its restoration.
24 "The boys forgot all their fears, all their miseries in an instant." What makes Huck and Tom so excited, even when hiding from Injun Joe?

starvation

ghosts

whiskey

money
25 Of the following, which statement best describes Sid's character?

Always yearning for Aunt Polly's attention, the only way Sid can gain her love is by misbehaving.

As Tom's bosom buddy, Sid is eager to accompany Tom in any adventure.

The son of the town drunkard, Sid is loathed by every mother and Sunday school teacher in St. Petersburg.

Constantly reproaching Tom, Sid represents the antithesis of Tom's carefree and wild character.

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