Reading Check and Short Answer questions on key points are designed for guided reading assignments, in-class review, formative assessment, quizzes, and more.

Act I, Scene 1, Pages 1-15

Reading Check

1. What song is playing in the opening scene?

2. What do Mr. and Mrs. Ralston do for a living?

3. Who was murdered, according to the newspaper article?

4. What is Christopher singing when he first meets Mrs. Boyles?

5. Whom does Mr. Ralston invite to leave the manor if she feels dissatisfied?

Short Answer

Answer each question in at least 1 complete sentence. Incorporate details from the text to support your response.

1. What is the importance of the novel’s setting? How does weather play a role in the events that occur?

2. How does the author create suspicion surrounding Mr. and Mrs. Ralston?

3. How is Christopher characterized? How does he get along with the other characters?

4. How do the characters in the guest house respond to Mrs. Boyle? Why do they respond this way?

5. What does Mr. Paravicini say at the end of the act to change the mood of the play? Does this make him a likely suspect? Why or why not?

Paired Resource

“How to Write Like the Best-Selling Author of All Time”