Summative Assessment:

Directions for the Test: There are multiple choice, true/false, and short answer questions, and
an essay question on this test. Each section has specific directions so make sure you read them
before you start each section. Point values for each set of questions are written within the
directions.

Multiple Choice Directions: Read each question carefully and choose the best answer choice.
Clearly mark your answer. Multiple choice questions worth 1 point each.

1.
a. Love is selfish
b. True love makes sacrifices
c. Value of possessions
d. If someone does not sacrifice for you, they do not love you

2. According to the text which is the most important?

a. Possessions
b. Family heirlooms
c. Your appearance
d. Love

3. *Which line from the text supports the theme of the story?
a.
b.
c.
just at prese
d.
4. In the ending, what did the author compare the couple to?
a. The Magi
b. Selfish people
c. Selfless people
d. Romeo and Juliet

5. Put the following statements in chronological order based on the text.

___Della sold her hair

___Della sobs about their financial state

___After receiving the chain for his watch, Jim recognizes the irony in their situation

6.

a. Sobs
b. Sniffles
c. Smiles
 7. *Which word best describes Jim and Della's relationship with each other?
a. Their relationship is selfish.
b. Their relationship is loving.
c. Their relationship is thoughtless.
8. *Why does O. Henry consider the couple foolish as well as wise?
a. They are foolish to love each other.
b. They are foolish to love someone who is so poor.
c. They each make a seemingly foolish sacrifice for a wise reason.

True/False Directions: Read each statement and decide if it is true or false. Circle the word

marked. True/False questions worth 1 point each.

1.
happiness.
2. True or False: A theme of the story is that you should never make sacrifices for the
people you love.
3. True or False: By selling his watch Jim sacrificed a valuable heirloom for the person he
loved.
4. True or False: Throughout the story Della is constantly concerned about their financial
state.
5. *True or False: Della cut her hair even though she was worried that Jim would no longer
think she was pretty.
6. True or False? Della sells her hair to buy Jim a gift.
7. *True or False? Jim sells his watch to buy Della a locket.

Short Answer Directions: Read the question and develop an appropriate answer for the
question. Make sure your answer is well organized and fully answers all parts of the question.
Your responses should be between 2 and 5 sentences long. If the question ask for a list you may
write your answer using bullets, you do not have to use complete sentences. Short answer
questions worth 2 points each.

2. List the three most important events in the story.

3. Describe the irony in the ending. Explain why you believe this is a central idea using specific
details from the text.

4. What is one Central Idea from the text?

5.
Essay Directions: Write AT LEAST 3-4 paragraphs answering the question. The essay is worth
8 points. Make sure your essay answers all parts of the question.

1. *If Della had had short hair in the beginning of the story, what do you think that she
would have done? Why do you think so?

(For course instructor s use only: the Questions marked with an asterisk (*) came from
commercial sources.)

Grading Guide and Rubric:

Multiple Choice:
1.
A. Love is selfish
B. True love makes sacrifices
C. Value of possessions
D. If someone does not sacrifice for you, they do not love you

2. According to the text which is the most important?

A. Possessions
B. Family heirlooms
C. Your appearance
D. Love

3. Which line from the text supports the theme of the story?
A.
B.
C. L et s put our Chr istmas pr esents away and keep em a while. They r e too nice to
use j ust at pr esent. I sold the watch to get the money to buy your combs.
D.
Adapted from: http://www.ncpublicschools.org/accountability/testing/releasedforms
(English II EOC Question 9)

4. In the ending, what did the author compare the couple to?
A. The Magi
B. Selfish people
C. Selfless people
D. Romeo and Juliet

5. Put the following statements in chronological order based on the text.

_2__Della sold her hair
_5
 _1__Della sobs about their financial state
_4__After receiving the chain for his watch, Jim recognizes the irony in their situation
_3

A.
B. Sobs
C. Sniffles
D. Smiles
7. Which word best describes Jim and Della's relationship with each other? (Commercial)
A. Their relationship is selfish.
B. Their relationship is loving.
C. Their relationship is thoughtless.
"The Gift of The Magi" Self-Test. (2007). Retrieved October 12, 2016, from
http://www.phschool.com/webcodes10/index.cfm?wcprefix=epa

8. Why does O. Henry consider the couple foolish as well as wise?

A. They are foolish to love each other.
B. They are foolish to love someone who is so poor.
C. They each make a seemingly foolish sacrifice for a wise reason.
"The Gift of The Magi" Self-Test. (2007). Retrieved October 12, 2016, from
http://www.phschool.com/webcodes10/index.cfm?wcprefix=epa

True/False
1. True or False: De
happiness.
2. True or False: A theme of the story is that you should never make sacrifices for the
people you love.
3. True or False: By selling his watch Jim sacrificed a valuable heirloom for the person he
loved.
4. True or False: Throughout the story Della is constantly concerned about their financial
state.
5. True or False: Della cut her hair even though she was worried that Jim would no longer
think she was pretty.
6. True or False? Della sells her hair to buy Jim a gift.
Holt, Rinehart, & Winston. (2005). Elements of Literature Annotated Teacher's Edition
(3rd ed.). Austin, TX: A Harcourt Education Company.
7. True or False? Jim sells his watch to buy Della a locket.
Holt, Rinehart, & Winston. (2005). Elements of Literature Annotated Teacher's Edition
(3rd ed.). Austin, TX: A Harcourt Education Company.

Short Answer:

He hugs her and tells her that nothing like a haircut, a shave, or a shampoo
could make me like my girl any less. He makes sure that she knows he loves her
 no matter what length her hair is.
2. List the three most important events in the story.
1. Della sells her hair
2. Della buys Jim a chain for his watch
3. Jim gives Della the combs for her hair
3. Describe the irony in the ending.
Della and Jim both sacrificed their valuable possessions for each other. Della cut
and sold her hair to buy Jim a chain for his watch but Jim sold his watch to buy
Della expensive combs for her hair.
4. What is one Central Idea from the text? Explain why you believe this is a central idea using
specific details from the text.
Both Della and Jim give up their only valuable possessions to buy something nice
for the other.
Della struggles with making the decision to cut her hair which shows that even
when you love someone it is difficult to sacrifice a part of yourself.
5.
Because the couple was poor, they could not afford to buy Christmas presents for
each other without sacrificing one of their own valuable possessions. Had the
couple been richer, they would not have had to sacrifice something in order
to get the other one a present. Had the couple not been poor the reader would
not have seen their unconditional, sacrificial love.

Essay:
1. If Della had had short hair in the beginning of the story, what do you think that she would
have done? Why do you think so?
Answers may vary but this is a possible example:
She may have made a homemade gift that showed her love for Jim. This would
have expressed her love but in a way she could afford.
She could have cooked Jim his favorite dinner and made the night special for Jim
based on his favorite things to do.
Created at Lord Fairfax Community College
https://lfcc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/The-Gift-of-the-Magi-Questions.pdf
 Performance Assessment:
Directions: Create a comic strip using storyboardthat.com. Your comic should summarize the
whole story. Show elements that represent the theme and central idea that we have covered in
class. You must use at least 4 boxes to complete the comic. The comic should show your
understanding of the story and the concepts covered in class. Your summary must be accurate to
the story. However, you may design the comic with any kind of background and characters that
you choose; you are allowed to choose any kind of setting that you like as long as you follow the
same plot as the story. Remember that this is an individual project and you are trying to show
your understanding of the story. Be creative!
Preformance Assesment: http://www.storyboardthat.com/storyboard-creator

Performance Assessment Rubric:

0 Points 1 Point 2 Points 3 Points

Content within The content There are some Most of the The content in the
comic does not elements of the content from the comic fully
follow the comic that story is covered in represents the
plot in the represent the the comic but 1-2 storyline of
story or no story but 3-4 major parts were Gift of the Mag
comic was major parts were left out.
submitted. left out. representations.
Students can (but do
not have to) choose a
different setting for
the story.

Summary of The text and The text and The text and The text and visuals
text visuals in the visuals in the visuals in the in the comic
comic do not comic somewhat comic represent accurately
accurately represent the the story but some summarize the story.
represent the story but most of of the details are
story or no the details are incorrectly
comic was incorrectly represented.
submitted. represented.

Representation The comic There are some The comic The comic fully
of Theme does not elements of the somewhat encompasses the
show the theme but not communicates the
theme at all enough to t
or no comic effectively
was communicate
submitted. the theme.

Representation The comic There are some The comic The comic
of Central Idea does not elements of contains most of, completely
 represent the Central Idea but not all, communicates the
central idea within the comic elements of the centr
or no comic but enough to central idea from
was effectively
submitted. communicate
the central idea.

Organization No comic There are The majority of The design of the

and clarity was multiple setting the comic is comic is fluid and
submitted. changes that cohesive and does not distract
distract from the understandable from the plot. The
comic. The with a few comic is organized
comic is elements that and there are no
disorganized cause distractions mistakes that could
and/or difficult or confusion to the confuse the reader.
to understand. reader.

Length No comic The comic has 2 The comic is only The comic is an
was or fewer boxes. 3 boxes. appropriate length
submitted. which is at least 4
boxes.