Tom Sawyer Activities

Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain -- Reading Checks and Quizzes.

Chapter One
   1. (2) Tom avoids being whipped (for _________) by... a) hiding from Aunt Polly. b) blaming it on Sidney. c) distracting Aunt Polly and running away. d) apologizing.
   2. After she doesn't whip him, Aunt Polly feels... a) angry. b) guilty. c) happy. d) stupid
   3. ...because...a) he tricked her again. b) he got away with another prank. c) she's not doing her duty as a parent. d) he's such a pain in the rear.
   4. Aunt Polly finds out Tom skipped school to go swimming because... a) his hair is wet. b) his clothes are wet. c) Sidney saw Tom swimming, and told Aunt Polly. d) Sidney mentioned a difference in Tom's clothes.
   5. When Tom says to the new kid, "for two cents I will do it" (beat him up), what does the new kid do?
   6. When Tom gets in late and Aunt Polly sees how messed up his clothes are, she decides that his punishment will be...
   7. "What is that truck?"
   8. "I can lick you!"
   9. "...get my dander up..."
10. * Bonus: Who's "Old Scratch"? (p2)

Chapter Two
   1. The Outsiders : Tulsa :: Tom Sawyer :
   2. When Tom is showing Jim his sore toe, what happens?
   3. This is an original illustration from the first edition of Tom Sawyer. It depicts the whitewashing scene in Chapter 2. What's wrong with this picture?
   4. What was Ben Rogers pretending to be when he saw Tom whitewashing?
   5. Who is the "great and wise philosopher" that Mark Twain refers to in the second-to-last paragraph of Chapter 2?
   6. (2) According to Mark Twain in Chapter 2...
      work : ________ :: play : __________
   7. a) like to do b) want to do c) have to do d) don't have to do e) are good at f) hate to do (3) Slang: a) "...it's a bully taw." (A taw is a marble). b) "Ben, I'd like to, honest Injun, but..." c) "That's a mighty gay marvel". (Marvel is marble.)

Chapter Three (and Two)

   1. Tom's reward for doing such a good job on the fence was...a) a doughnut. b) an apple. c) a dollar. d) some sugar.
   2. Aunt Polly also gives Tom a lecture on...a) the importance of being good. b) the value of not cutting school. c) how much better the reward is when you have worked hard to earn it. d) improving his behavior.
   3. (2) What does Mark Twain mean when he says on (p17b, p16w), "The fresh-crowned hero fell without firing a shot"? Why is he a "fresh-crowned hero"? What does it mean he "fell"?
   4. (Quote) Why does Aunt Polly say she hits Tom for stealing sugar, but not Sid? (p19b, p18w)
   5. How did Tom get revenge on Sid for tattling on him about the black thread? a) He threw dirt clods at him. b) He "lammed" him. c) He dumped water on his head. d) All of the above. e) None of the above.
   6. What does "had taken personal effect" mean? (p16b, p16w)
   7. Why did Tom climb the fence instead of using the gate? (p16b, p16w) a) It's more fun. b) He was in a hurry. c) The gate was broken. d) The gate was blocked.
   8. "Umf! Well, you didn't get a lick amiss, I reckon. You been into some other audacious mischief when I wasn't around, like enough." (p19b, p18w) What does Aunt Polly mean? a) I'm sorry. b) I don't really believe you, so I'm punishing you just in case. c) You probably done other things I didn't catch you at, so that's for those. d) I can't admit I'm wrong, so I have to punish you anyway.
   9. How did Tom get back at the maid who dumped water on him outside Becky's window?
10. What does Tom fantasize about twice in Chapter 3? (Hint: After Aunt Polly hits him for the sugar, and outside of "The Adored Unknown's" window.)
11. (4) Slang: a) truck b) lick   c) bully d) dander up
12. What scene is depicted at right?
13. (2) At the end of Chapter 3, what does Sid make a mental note of? Why would he do that? (No quote!!!!)

Chapter Four
   1. What happened to all the shtuff Tom scammed from the boys in Chapter 2?
   2. Why can't Tom bear to look at Amy in Chapter 4? (p28b, p26w)
   3. (5) Identify the people, the setting, and the book in the man's hand in this illustration.
   4. (2) What supposedly happened to the boy who had won four or five prizes?
   5. (Quote) Why is the boy so nervous around the man in the picture? (p31b, p28w)

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

         1. What happens to Tom's pulled tooth?
         2. What is the schoolmaster teaching/doing when Tom arrives late to school?
         3. (Quote) What does Tom say to the schoolmaster that makes him so angry?
         4. What does it mean when MT says, "The master's arm performed until it was tired..."?
         5. (4) Explain this picture. (Who are the people? Who drew it? Why?)
         6. (Quote) Why does Becky slap his hand?
         7. What happens next?
         8. (Choose any/all that apply.) Read the last paragraph of chapter 6. After meeting Becky, Tom... a) misspelled a bunch of easy words. b) had trouble reading in class. c) had to give up a spelling award he had won. d) actually tried to study. e) all of the above. f) none of the above.
         9. The word jubilant (p50b, p45w) most nearly means...a) hurting. b) ecstatic. c) worried. d) regretful.

Chapter Seven
   1. (4) "He had contemplated a good part of the performance before he contributed his bit of variety to it." (p52b, 48w) Explain.
   2. Give a quote that shows what mistake Tom made in talking with Becky.
   3. True or False. At the end of chapter 7, Becky regrets not making up with Tom.

Chapter Eight
   1. Why does Tom envy Jimmy Hodges?
   2. When Tom's superstition about his marbles fails, he blames it on...?
   3. Which career did Tom contemplate (and discard in disgust) that is not depicted in the illustration?
   4. Who is the "Black Avenger of the Spanish Main"?
   5. Why won't Tom "fall" (die) when he and Joe are "sword-fighting"?

Chapter Nine
   1. Why did Doc Robinson hit Injun Joe? a) Joe hit him in the face. b) Joe wanted more money. c) Joe attacked him with a knife. d) Joe was threatening revenge for something in the past.
   2. (Quote) Why did Muff Potter attack Doc Robinson?
   3. (7)

4. (A-G) Label the above "illustration." (4)

Explain what's happening here. Who are the three men? Why does one appear to be begging or praying?
5. BONUS for EXTRA CREDIT: What's a sawbones? (p61w, p67b)

Chapter 10
   1. True or False. The boys saw Injun Joe put the knife in Muff's hand.
   2. What does "keep mum" mean?
   3. (p71b, p65w) "...maybe that whack done for him!" a) Maybe that whack woke him up. b) Maybe he was killed by that whack. c) Maybe that whack hurt him more than most people. d) Maybe he made that whack worse by fighting back.
   4. (4 word quote) What form of oath is OK for common things, like swearing with girls?
   5. But for something serious like this, the boys' oath requires ____________.
   6. (2) According to the boys' oath, what will happen if they tell on Injun Joe?
   7. Who is Bull Harbison? a) A fat guy. b) The guy they find sleeping in the hogs' pen. c) A kid who died after a stray dog howled at him. d) A dog.
   8. Aunt Polly punished Tom for sneaking out by... a) flogging him. b) making him do chores he hates. c) crying. d) taking away his breakfast.
   9. The "final feather that broke the camel's back" for Tom was...a) getting punished by Aunt Polly. b) missing breakfast. c) being late for school the next day, and getting whipped for it. d) Becky giving back his present.

Chapter Eleven/Twelve
   1. (2) When Injun Joe tells his version of the events in the graveyard, Tom and Huck are amazed that something doesn't happen. What? What do they think the reason behind this is?
   2. (3) "They inwardly resolved to watch him, nights, when the opportunity should offer, in the hope of getting a glimpse of his dread master." (p79b, p73w) Translate the bold-faced parts.
   3. "It's blood, it's blood, that's what it is!" a) Tom, swearing not to tell about Injun Joe. b) Sid, telling Tom what he heard Tom say in his sleep. c) Huck, worried that Injun Joe will kill them if he finds out. d) Tom, telling the sheriff what he saw in the graveyard.
   4. How does Tom try to ease his conscience about Muff's situation?
   5. Why did the villagers not punish Injun Joe for bodysnatching? a) They didn't know he did it. b) They were afraid of him. c) They had no proof. d) It wasn't against the law.
   6. Tom finally stopped thinking about the murder for a while, because...?
   7. Why did Aunt Polly start giving Tom all those treatments?
   8. (2) Why did Aunt Polly think Tom had been taking the Painkiller all that time? What was he really doing with it?
   9. Who is Peter?
10. What does Tom do when Becky finally comes back to school?
11. (Quote.) What's her reaction?

Chapter Twelve
   1. Tom finally stopped thinking about the murder for a while, because...?
   2. Why did Aunt Polly start giving Tom all those treatments?
   3. (2) Why did Aunt Polly think Tom had been taking the Painkiller all that time? What was he really doing with it?
   4. Who is Peter?
   5. What does Tom do when Becky finally comes back to school?
   6. (Quote.) What's her reaction?

Chapter Thirteen/Fourteen
   1. Give an example from Chapter 13 of Tom insisting on doing things "the hard way" or "by the book."
   2. Why are the boys' consciences bothering them at the end of chapter 13?
   3. Why does Mark Twain call the boys "curiously inconsistent pirates"? (Last line of Chapter 13.) "Because they are pirates who ________   ________." (Hint: It also might be called ironic. Hint II: See your answer to the previous question.)
   4. (5) Draw a map of where the island is, and how the boys got there. Be sure to label it with distances and place names. (p88-91b, p82-84w)
   5. (4) "The other pirates envied him this majestic vice, and secretly resolved to aquire it shortly." (p93b, p86w) Explain. (A vice is a bad habit.)
   6. What does Tom think (due to his superstition) he will get, since the inchworm crawled across him?
   7. Where is the boy's raft now?
   8. (2) The boom the boys hear is ______________, and it means the villagers _____________, and that makes them feel _________.
   9. Why are the boys consciences bothering them at the end of Chapter 14?
10. BONUS: What is quicksilver?

Chapter Fifteen
# What can we assume Tom wrote on the note he left in Joe's hat at the end of Chapter 14?
# Name a piece of evidence the villagers use to conclude the boys had drowned.
# Why does Tom not "capture" the rowboat he uses to get back to the island, even though he's tempted to?
# Why does Aunt Polly scold Sid?
# What does Tom start to do, and then decide not to do? (Besides capturing the rowboat.)

Chapter Sixteen-Twenty
   1. (2) The boys had two reasons to be thankful after the big storm. What were they?
   2. What made it an "extremely satisfactory day" playing Indians?
   3. (2) "Two of the savages almost wished they had remained pirates." (p116b, p106w) Explain what this means.
   4. (2) "Well, Tom Sawyer, he licked me once." (p 118b, 109w) Why did this person say this? Why was no one impressed?
   5. (2) "Tom got more cuffs and kisses that day -- according Aunt Polly's varying moods -- than he had earned before in a year..." (Last paragraph of Chapter 17.) Draw the pictures at right, and fill in the talk balloons appropriately.

   1. How did Aunt Polly find out the truth about Tom's "dream"?
   2. (4) Who is Alfred Temple? What does he do to Tom (secretly)? Why? Where have we seen him before?
   3. What was Mr. Dobbins' (the schoolmaster) secret ambition?
   4. What kind of book did Becky rip?
   5. (Quote) Why does Tom say that Becky will get caught, even if he doesn't tell on her?
   6. Why was Tom not at all upset about being whipped for the spelling book?
   7. (2) What was Tom's punishment for the teacher's ripped book?