Ch.2 Sec.2

Read this excerpt from chapter 1 of The Scarlet Letter. Certain it is, that, some fifteen or twenty years after the settlement of the town, the wooden jail was already marked with weather-stains and other indications of age, which gave a yet darker aspect to its beetle-browed and gloomy front. The rust on the ponderous iron-work of its oaken door looked more antique than any thing else in the new world. The author most likely include the words "darker aspect," "beetle-browed," "gloomy," and "ponderous" in order to impart a melancholy mood. impart a mysterious mood. establish a formal, civilized setting. establish an old-fashioned setting.

Which event described in chapter 2 of The Scarlet Letter occurs after Hester leaves the jail? Hester voices her discomfort on the long walk to the scaffold. A military procession organizes the crowd and proceeds to the scaffold. Old women march Hester to the scaffold, voicing their disapproval. Young children run heedlessly before Hester to the scaffold.

Read this excerpt from chapter 1 of The Scarlet Letter using comprehension strategies. In accordance with this rule, it may safely be assumed that the forefathers of Boston had built the first prison-house, somewhere in the vicinity of Cornhill, almost as seasonably as they marked out the first burial-ground, on Isaac Johnson's lot, and round about his grave, which subsequently became the nucleus of all the congregated sepulchres in the old church-yard of King's Chapel. What is the meaning of this excerpt? The prison and cemetery were built early, with the cemetery expanding in size from its original plot. The prison was built near Cornhill, and the cemetery was built on an important man's property. Just as Puritans gathered at the prison, they also gathered at the cemetery and the church. The forefathers of Boston chose the two most famous landmarks: the prison and the cemetery.

Read this excerpt from chapter 1 of The Scarlet Letter. Before this ugly edifice, and between it and the wheel-track of the street, was a grass-plot, much overgrown with burdock, pig-weed, apple-peru, and such unsightly vegetation, which evidently found something congenial in the soil that had so early borne the black flower of civilized society, a prison. Which best describes the effect of the words "ugly," "overgrown," "pig-weed," and "unsightly vegetation"? They impart an angry mood. They impart a mysterious mood. They establish a rural, agricultural setting. They establish a rough, untamed setting.

Read this excerpt from chapter 1 of The Scarlet Letter. Finding it so directly on the threshold of our narrative, which is now about to issue from that inauspicious portal, we could hardly do otherwise than pluck one of its flowers and present it to the reader. What is the meaning of the word "inauspicious"? unremarkable, forgettable unintelligent, not educated unimpressive, poorly built unfavorable, boding ill

Which event described in chapter 2 of The Scarlet Letter occurs after Hester appears in front of the crowd? Onlookers react to the beadle's cruelty. Onlookers react to the innocence of the baby. Onlookers react to Hester's embroidered letter. Onlookers react to Hester's humility.

Read this excerpt from chapter 2 of The Scarlet Letter using comprehension strategies. "Goodwives," said a hard-featured dame of fifty, "I'll tell ye a piece of my mind. It would be greatly for the public behoof, if we women, being of mature age and church-members in good repute, should have the handling of such malefactresses as this Hester Prynne. What think ye, gossips? If the hussy stood up for judgment before us five, that are now here in a knot together, would she come off with such a sentence as the worshipful magistrates have awarded?" What is the meaning of this excerpt? The speaker believes that she and her peers ought to be in charge of assigning sentences in cases like Hester's. The speaker believes she and her peers ought to be acknowledged for their good standing in the community. The speaker believes that the older women of the church ought to be allowed to serve as magistrates. The speaker believes that the magistrates have been too strict in their handling of Hester's case.

Which event described in chapter 2 of The Scarlet Letter occurs after the women of the crowd are introduced? The women discuss their English birth and breeding. The women discuss Hester's sentence. The women demand that the letter be branded on Hester. The women ask the reverend to say a prayer.

Read this excerpt from chapter 2 of The Scarlet Letter. The door of the jail being flung open from within, there appeared, in the first place, like a black shadow emerging into sunshine, the grim and grisly presence of the town-beadle, with a sword by his side and his staff of office in his hand. Which best describes the purpose of the words "black shadow," "grim," "grisly," and "sword"? to impart a sorrowful mood to impart a solemn mood to establish the early morning setting to establish the militant jailhouse setting

Read this excerpt from chapter 1 of The Scarlet Letter. A throng of bearded men, in sad-colored garments and gray, steeple-crowned hats, intermixed with women, some wearing hoods, and others bareheaded, was assembled in front of a wooden edifice, the door of which was heavily timbered with oak, and studded with iron spikes. Which best describes the effect of the words "sad-colored," "steeple-crowned," and "iron spikes"? They establish the mournful mood. They establish the hostile mood. They establish the austere Puritan setting. They establish the spiritual Puritan setting.