Before you begin the quiz, ensure you have a complete comprehension of the summary of Strong Horse Tea by Alice Walker.
Strong Horse Tea Quiz
1. At the beginning of the story, Rannie Toomer is deeply worried about her baby, Snooks. What specific and severe illness is the child suffering from?
A. Double pneumonia and whooping cough
B. Measles and mumps
C. Scarlet fever and a severe cold
D. Bronchitis and a high fever
2. The narrative establishes Rannie Toomer’s social standing and self-perception early on. How does Rannie feel about herself at the beginning of the story?
A. Unmarried, not pretty, and not “anybody much”
B. Proud of her social standing
C. Pretty and popular
D. Married and respected
3. Rannie’s devotion to her sick child is shown through her neglect of herself. How many days had Rannie gone without washing since Snooks fell ill?
A. A week
B. Five days
C. Three days
D. Two days
4. An old neighboring lady named Sarah represents the world of folk magic and tradition. How is she described?
A. A relative offering money
B. Wears magic leaves and a dried lizard’s foot
C. Rannie’s grandmother
D. A nurse from the town
5. Rannie is skeptical of the traditional cures offered by her neighbor. What dismissive term does Rannie use to describe Sarah’s “old home remedies”?
A. Traditional cures
B. Old wives’ tales
C. Swamp magic
D. Herbal treatments
6. Rannie has a personal and painful reason for distrusting folk medicine. Why does she initially reject Sarah’s old home remedies?
A. They are too expensive
B. She claims they almost killed her as a child
C. She prefers modern medicine
D. She believes they are ineffective
7. The story emphasizes the severity of the baby’s illness through his appearance. How is the sick child, Snooks, described as he lies under the quilts?
A. A crying, restless baby
B. A lively, energetic child
C. A sleeping, peaceful infant
D. A small, putty-like mound
8. The narrative uses a vivid simile to describe the baby’s labored breathing. What is Snooks’ faint, difficult breathing compared to?
A. A gentle sigh
B. A steady, normal rhythm
C. A loud wheezing
D. Pushing damp papers in a ditch
9. Rannie places her faith in modern help from the outside world. Who did she tell her baby, Snooks, that she had sent for to get help?
A. The mailman
B. The local clinic
C. The minister
D. A relative
10. Rannie’s previous interactions with the mailman show her poverty. What did she once ask him for extra advertising circulars for?
A. To make paper dolls
B. To paper the inside of her house
C. To sell for a profit
D. To learn how to read
11. The mailman holds prejudiced views about Rannie’s intelligence. How did he perceive Rannie’s desperate plea for help?
A. As unusually polite
B. As looking more ignorant than usual
C. As surprisingly well-informed
D. As cheerful despite the rain
12. The mailman is physically repulsed by Rannie’s poverty. What specific things about her made him recoil?
A. Her loud voice
B. Her breath and smell
C. Her aggressive manner
D. Her persistent questions
13. Distracted and wanting to get away, what useless items did the mailman absent-mindedly hand to Rannie?
A. Medicine for Snooks
B. Money for a doctor
C. Circulars for hair driers and cold creams
D. A map to the hospital
14. The mailman’s prejudice is further revealed through a derogatory comparison. What did he compare Rannie Mae’s smell to?
A. Damp earth
B. Fresh rain
C. A wet goat
D. Stale smoke
15. The mailman’s discomfort is rooted in his racial and class biases. Why was he ultimately so uneasy around Rannie Mae?
A. She was black and didn’t smell good
B. She asked too many questions
C. She was too quiet
D. She always seemed happy
16. Feeling a mix of pity and discomfort, what is the one suggestion the mailman offers to Rannie as a way to help her sick child?
A. He would take Snooks to the doctor
B. He suggested trying Sarah’s home remedies
C. He would call the doctor himself
D. He offered to lend her money
17. Rannie’s desperation clashes with her deep-seated mistrust of folk remedies. How did she react to the mailman’s suggestion to use them?
A. She considered it for a moment
B. She violently shook her head “NO!”
C. She agreed immediately
D. She thanked him for the suggestion
18. The mailman’s patience finally breaks when Rannie’s desperation overflows. What action made him furious with her?
A. Asking for more circulars
B. Yelling and grabbing his shoulder
C. Refusing to leave
D. Her lack of gratitude
19. After Rannie physically touched his shoulder, how did the mailman react?
A. Offered more advice
B. Got out of the car to confront her
C. Promised to help
D. Rolled up the window and drove away
20. After being abandoned by the mailman, what did Rannie do with the useless, wet circulars?
A. Trampled them under her feet
B. Put them in her coat pocket
C. Tried to dry them
D. Took them inside her house
21. Shortly after the mailman’s departure, who unexpectedly arrived at Rannie’s isolated house?
A. A town doctor
B. Old Sarah
C. A local preacher
D. Another neighbour
22. Why was Rannie unable to pretend she wasn’t home when Sarah knocked on her door?
A. Smoke was coming from the chimney
B. Her door was open
C. Her dog was barking
D. She was singing loudly
23. Rannie is still wary of Sarah’s methods. What did she make Sarah do with her “bag of tricks” before letting her in?
A. Put it in the shed
B. Hide it behind a tree
C. Bring it inside
D. Leave it on the front porch
24. As Sarah enters, what was Rannie’s cynical initial thought regarding Sarah’s magical remedies?
A. It was the only hope for Snooks
B. It was powerful and trustworthy
C. Sarah should use some on herself
D. It was harmless but useless
25. After Rannie has been waiting anxiously for the town doctor, what definitive and disheartening news does Sarah deliver to her?
A. He got lost in the storm
B. He is on his way
C. “He ain’t coming.”
D. He will arrive shortly
26. How does Sarah explain her sudden appearance at Rannie’s house, connecting it to the mailman?
A. She was just passing by
B. She came to offer comfort
C. The mailman “fetched the doctor” (her)
D. Another neighbour told her
27. In a moment of authority and certainty, what does Sarah declare herself to be for Rannie’s child?
A. A miracle worker
B. “The doctor, child.”
C. A true friend
D. A willing helper
28. As Rannie finally breaks down and cries, what happens to the sound of Snooks’ breathing?
A. It seems to drown out the downpour
B. It becomes quieter
C. It remains unchanged
D. It stops for a moment
29. The severity of the baby’s illness is shown by the color of his skin. What color is Snooks’ skin around his eyes and mouth?
A. Yellowish white
B. Bright red
C. Purplish blue
D. Pale green
30. Sarah performs a physical examination of the baby. How is this examination described?
A. She strips, pokes, and blows on him
B. She only listens to his chest
C. She consults a book of remedies
D. She gives him a shot
31. Upon realizing that no modern medical help is coming, how does Rannie feel about having waited?
A. Hopeful for modern medicine
B. She feels a stone of guilt
C. Angry towards Sarah
D. Relieved that Sarah is there
32. After her physical examination of the baby, what grim diagnosis does Sarah give Rannie?
A. He will recover quickly
B. “The child’s dying.”
C. He needs hospital care
D. He has a mild fever
33. To have any hope of saving the child, what does Sarah say is required?
A. A “mighty strong stomach”
B. A new medicine
C. A strong will
D. More time
34. Sarah clarifies that it is not herself or the baby who needs this quality. Who does she say needs to have the “strong stomach”?
A. Herself
B. Snooks
C. The mailman
D. Rannie Toomer
35. Sarah suggests there is one last, desperate folk remedy that might save him. What specific and unsettling remedy does she propose?
A. A special herb tonic
B. Some good strong horse tea
C. A few drops of cat’s blood
D. A prayer and a blessing
36. As Rannie heads out on her desperate errand to get the “horse tea,” what is the weather like?
A. Sunny and calm
B. Rain falling like small hailstones
C. Windy and cold
D. Foggy and damp
37. What specific animal does Rannie look for in the pasture to collect the remedy?
A. A mule
B. A lone gray mare
C. Cows
D. Sheep
38. In her haste and desperation, what crucial item does Rannie realize she forgot to bring with her?
A. A cloth
B. A bucket
C. Anything to catch the tea in
D. A jar
39. In a moment of improvisation, what does Rannie try to use as a container for the tea?
A. A large leaf
B. One of her plastic shoes
C. Her cupped hands
D. Her coat pocket
40. What happened to Rannie in the wet and slippery pasture when she tried to take off her shoe?
A. Lightning struck a nearby tree
B. She slipped and fell in the mud
C. The mare ran away
D. She stubbed her toe on a rock
41. The narrative describes Rannie’s difficult and messy attempt to collect the horse tea. How does she finally manage it?
A. She finds a cup in the field
B. The mare willingly provides it
C. Catches it in spurts while chasing the mare
D. Waits for it to fill her shoe
42. After Rannie has collected the tea, what does the old mare do to her as it leaves?
A. Snorts and kicks her into the mud
B. Nuzzles her gently
C. Gives her a friendly lick
D. Whinnies and runs away
43. After being kicked and falling again, what does Rannie discover about her shoe?
A. It is full of rainwater
B. It has a tiny crack at its front
C. It has lost its shape
D. It is completely ruined
44. In a final, desperate act, how does Rannie stop the precious tea from leaking out of the cracked shoe?
A. She puts her mouth over the crack
B. She pours it into her other shoe
C. She wraps a cloth around it
D. She covers the crack with her hand
45. After her ordeal in the pasture, what does Rannie intend to do with the collected horse tea?
A. Drink it herself for strength
B. Give it to her baby Snooks
C. Give it to Sarah for inspection
D. Throw it away in defeat
46. While Rannie is out in the storm on her desperate errand, what tragic event happens back at the cabin?
A. Snooks woke up and cried
B. The baby’s frail breathing stopped
C. The baby’s breathing improved
D. Snooks was being cared for by Sarah
47. Throughout the difficult and demeaning process of collecting the tea, what was Rannie’s emotional state?
A. Calm and focused
B. Annoyed but determined
C. Trembling and crying
D. Full of strange joy
48. The story emphasizes Rannie’s unkempt state due to her vigil. What was her appearance when she first approached the mailman?
A. Clean and well-dressed
B. Quiet and reserved
C. Sticky eyes and tear tracks on her face
D. Smiling and energetic
49. The setting highlights Rannie’s isolation and connection to a more prímitive world. How is her home situated in the landscape?
A. In a separate town
B. Far away from animals
C. Surrounded by a pasture with animals
D. In a stable with animals
50. The title of the story is central to its theme of desperation and folk belief. What does “Strong Horse Tea” refer to?
A. A popular local beverage
B. A medicinal drink for horses
C. A folk remedy made from horse urine
D. A type of strong herbal tea