Hills Like White Elephants

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

Multiple Choice

1. Which of the following is the strongest example of the theme of Detachment Versus Engagement in the short story?

A. The troubled couple is waiting for the express train to take them to Barcelona.

B. Jig looks out over the fields and considers continuing the pregnancy while the American pushes for an abortion.

C. Both the American and Jig avoid using the word “abortion” throughout the story.

D. The American tells Jig that he only wants her to get an abortion if she also wants one.

2. Which of the following best states what “the white elephant” symbolizes in the story?

A. The baggage

B. The pregnancy

C. The relationship

D. The hills

3. Which of the following best describes the relationship between the American and Jig?

A. Tranquil

B. Ambivalent

C. Tense

D. Loving

4. When Jig says, “They look like white elephants” (Paragraph 9), what is she attempting to do?

A. Start a conversation, since she knows how shy the American can be

B. Annoy the American, since she knows he has never seen a white elephant

C. Make an insightful observation, since she has never been to this part of Spain

D. Lighten the mood, since there is a lot of tension in the air

5. What technique is used when Jig says, “And afterward they were all so happy” (Paragraph 53)?

A. Verbal irony

B. Hyperbole

C. Understatement

D. Paradox

6. Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of Hemingway‘s minimalist writing style in “Hills Like White Elephants”?

A. Short sentences

B. Simplistic premise

C. Direct characterization

D. Essential details

7. How is the American’s comment that he cares about Jig (Paragraph 66) an example of irony?

A. Jig says she does not care about herself.

B. He is allowing her to drink alcohol even though she is pregnant.

C. He is pressuring her to undergo a dangerous operation.

D. Jig is gullible and believes anything he says.

8. What strategy does the American use to persuade Jig to go through with the operation?

A. Discusses the benefits and drawbacks to each course of action directly

B. Threatens to abandon her if she refuses to comply with his wishes

C. Minimizes the serious risks involved in the procedure

D. Gives her time to thoroughly consider what is right for her

Long Answer

Compose a response of 2-3 sentences, incorporating textual details to support your response.

1. How does the setting reflect the relationship between the American and Jig and the important decision Jig has to make?