Charles Short Story Test: 8th Grade Trivia!

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  • 1/10 Questions

    What grade was Laurie starting in the story?

    • Kindergarten
    • 1st Grade
    • Preschool
    • 2nd Grade
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About This Quiz


This quiz is a comprehension quiz on the short story, Charles, and every 8th-grade student should take it. This story by Shirley Jackson is all about the conflict of choosing an identity and how people choose to cope in new situations. Charlie creates Laurie, who is always getting him into trouble to the point that his mother goes to school looking to see how the teacher deals with Laurel but finds out he is just a figment of Charlie’s imagination. See how well you remember the story of Charlie and his alter ego misadventures from the book.

Charles Short Story Test: 8th Grade Trivia! - Quiz

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  • 2. 

    Who is the author of the story "Charles"?

    • Shirley Jackson

    • Shirley James

    • Shirley Jacksonville

    • Shirley Jefferson

    Correct Answer
    A. Shirley Jackson
    Explanation
    The correct answer is Shirley Jackson.

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  • 3. 

    Whose point of view is the story told by?

    • Laurie's mom

    • Laurie's dad

    • Laurie's teacher

    • Laurie

    Correct Answer
    A. Laurie's mom
    Explanation
    The story is told from Laurie's mom's point of view. This can be inferred from the fact that the question asks "Whose point of view is the story told by?" and the correct answer is "Laurie's mom." This suggests that the story is narrated from Laurie's mom's perspective, providing insight into her thoughts, feelings, and experiences.

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  • 4. 

    Why did it seem like Charles was changing for the better?

    • He was helping his teacher out in the classroom.

    • He was being nice to his fellow classmates.

    • He was being well behaved in the classroom while his teacher taught a lesson.

    • He began working quietly and not disrupting the class.

    Correct Answer
    A. He was helping his teacher out in the classroom.
    Explanation
    In the story "Charles," Charles appeared to be undergoing a positive transformation as he actively engaged in assisting his teacher within the classroom environment. His newfound willingness to contribute and help out marked a significant change in his behavior. This shift was notable because it hinted at Charles becoming more responsible, helpful, and cooperative, which had previously not been characteristic of his actions in the classroom.

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  • 5. 

    What does the word renounce mean in the following excerpt from Charles? The day my son Laurie started kindergarten he renounced corduroy overalls with bibs and began wearing blue jeans with a belt...

    • Gave up

    • Continued to do

    • Embraced

    • Hated

    Correct Answer
    A. Gave up
    Explanation
    In this excerpt, the word "renounce" means to give up. It implies that the son, Laurie, stopped wearing corduroy overalls with bibs and started wearing blue jeans with a belt instead. The word "renounce" suggests a deliberate decision to abandon or discontinue something, indicating that Laurie made a conscious choice to stop wearing the corduroy overalls.

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  • 6. 

    Who is the main character of the story?

    • Laurie

    • Larry

    • Charles

    • Charlie

    Correct Answer
    A. Laurie
    Explanation
    The main character of the story is Laurie.

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  • 7. 

    What part of the story would you say in the "climax"?

    • Laurie's mom attending the PTA meeting.

    • Laurie's first day of kindergarten.

    • Laurie's bad behavior at school.

    • Laurie's mom questioning him about Charles.

    Correct Answer
    A. Laurie's mom attending the PTA meeting.
    Explanation
    The climax of a story is the turning point or the most intense and dramatic moment. In this case, Laurie's mom attending the PTA meeting would not be considered the climax because it does not represent a significant turning point or a moment of high tension or conflict. The climax would more likely be Laurie's bad behavior at school or Laurie's mom questioning him about Charles, as these events create a moment of heightened drama and tension in the story.

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  • 8. 

    What type of person was Laurie's mom looking for when searching for Charles' mother?

    • A haggard looking woman.

    • A well-dressed woman.

    • A very loud and obnoxious woman.

    • A quiet and reserved woman.

    Correct Answer
    A. A haggard looking woman.
    Explanation
    Laurie's mom was looking for a haggard looking woman when searching for Charles' mother. This suggests that Laurie's mom was specifically looking for a woman who appeared tired, worn out, and perhaps disheveled. The fact that she was searching for this type of person implies that she had a particular purpose or expectation in mind for Charles' mother, which could be related to the story or the plot.

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  • 9. 

    What did Charles do on the third day of school to get in trouble?

    • He bounced a see-saw off a little girl's head.

    • He threw a crayon at his teacher.

    • He told a girl to say a bad word.

    • He said a bad word to his teacher.

    Correct Answer
    A. He bounced a see-saw off a little girl's head.
    Explanation
    Charles got in trouble on the third day of school because he bounced a see-saw off a little girl's head. This action is dangerous and can cause harm to others, which is why he faced consequences for his behavior.

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  • 10. 

    What does Laurie's mom discover at the end of the story?

    • That there is no Charles.

    • That Laurie is Charles.

    • That it was all a dream.

    • That Charles was the teacher's son.

    Correct Answer
    A. That there is no Charles.
    Explanation
    In the story, Laurie's mom discovers that there is no Charles. Throughout the story, Laurie constantly talks about Charles, a misbehaving boy in his kindergarten class. However, when Laurie's mom attends a PTA meeting and asks the teacher about Charles, she learns that there is no student named Charles in the class. This revelation shocks Laurie's mom and makes her realize that Laurie has been fabricating stories about Charles to divert attention away from his own misbehavior.

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  • Current Version
  • Sep 05, 2023
    Quiz Edited by
    ProProfs Editorial Team
  • Sep 19, 2011
    Quiz Created by
    Rbenitez
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