45 pages 1 hour read

Shirley Jackson

The Lottery

Fiction | Short Story | Adult | Published in 1948

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more. For select classroom titles, we also provide Teaching Guides with discussion and quiz questions to prompt student engagement.

Exam Questions

Multiple Choice and Long Answer questions create ideal opportunities for whole-book review, unit exam, or summative assessments.

Multiple Choice

1. How is the black box described?

A) Brand new, polished, and shiny

B) Old, beat up, and chipped 

C) Technologically advanced 

D) Haunting and eerie 

2. According to Old Man Warner, why is there a lottery?

A) To ensure a good harvest 

B) To bring rain to the area

C) To appease their god

D) To celebrate the town’s founding

3. What happens if a head of family cannot draw for his family?

A) His family is not entered into the lottery.

B) His family is automatically chosen by the lottery. 

C) His grown boy or wife draws for the family.

D) His family draws twice the following year.

4. How does Mr. Hutchinson react to his wife’s protests to the lottery?

A) He joins in the protest.

B) He tells her that it is only fair. 

C) He tells her to shut up. 

D) He begins to cry.

5. Which of the following does the black box symbolize?

A) A chance of death 

B) A tradition

C) A hope for survival

D) A link to past evils

6. Which of the following represents the author’s view on traditions?

A) Traditions should always be followed.

B) Traditions should adapt and change over time. 

C) Traditions should not be blindly followed.