Question

well too. it was the beating of the old man’s heart. it increased my fury, as the beating of a drum stimulates the soldier into courage.
11 but even yet i refrained and kept still. i scarcely breathed. i held the lantern motionless. i tried how steadily i could maintain the ray upon the eye. meantime the hellish tattoo of the heart increased. it grew quicker and quicker, and louder and louder every instant. the old man’s terror must have been extreme! it grew louder, i say, louder every moment! — do you mark me well? i have told you that i am nervous: so i am. and now at the dead hour of the night, amid the dreadful silence of that old house, so strange a noise as this excited me to uncontrollable terror. yet, for some minutes longer i refrained and stood still. but the beating grew louder, louder! i thought the heart must burst. and now a new anxiety seized me — the sound would be heard by a neighbor! the old man’s hour had come! with a loud yell, i threw open the lantern and leaped into the room. he shrieked once — once only. in an instant i dragged him to the floor, and pulled the heavy bed over him. i then smiled gaily, to find the deed so far done. but, for many minutes, the heart beat on with a muffled sound. this, however, did not vex me; it would not be heard through the wall. at length it ceased. the old man was dead. i removed the bed and examined the corpse. yes, he was stone, stone dead. i placed my hand upon the heart and held it there many minutes. there was no pulsation. he was stone dead. his eye would trouble me no more.
independent reading
12 if still you think me mad, you will think so no longer when i describe the wise precautions i took for the concealment of the body. the night waned, and i worked hastily, but in silence. first of all i dismembered the corpse. i cut off the head and the arms and the legs.
13 i then took up three planks from the flooring of the chamber, and deposited all between the scantlings. i then replaced the boards so cleverly, so cunningly, that no human eye — not even his — could have detected anything wrong. there was nothing to wash out — no stain of any kind — no blood - spot whatever. i had been too wary for that. a tub had caught all — ha! ha!
14 when i had made an end of these labors, it was four o’clock — still dark as midnight. as the bell sounded the hour, there came a knocking at the street door. i went down to open it with a light heart, — for what had i now to fear? there entered three men, who introduced themselves, with perfect suavity, as officers of the police. a shriek had been heard by a neighbor during the night; suspicion of foul play had been aroused; information had been lodged at the police office, and they (the officers) had been deputed to search the premises.
15 i smiled, — for what had i to fear? i bade the gentlemen welcome. the shriek, i said, was my own in a dream. the old man, i mentioned, was absent in the country. i took my visitors all over the house. i bade them search — search well. i led them, at length, to his chamber. i showed them his treasures, secure, undisturbed. in the enthusiasm of my confidence, i brought chairs into the room, and desired them here to rest from their fatigues, while i myself, in the wild

paragraphs 10 - 11
a. find evidence: highlight at least 3 details that describe how the sound of the old man’s heartbeat affects the narrator.
b. write: how does the sound of the old man’s heartbeat affect the reader?

paragraphs 12 - 13
write: how does the narrator feel about the way he carried out his plan?

paragraphs 14 - 15
a. write: how does the narrator react to the police?
b. write: how does poe build suspense in paragraphs 14 - 15?

a rhythmic tapping or drumming beat
happily, cheerily
a piece of lumber of small cross section
*suavity (adjective): the quality of being charming or polished

Explanation:

Paragraphs 10 - 11 A: The narrator's fury increases as the heartbeat gets louder and faster. The sound excites the narrator to uncontrollable terror and makes him anxious that the neighbors will hear. Also, the increasing sound eventually seizes the narrator, leading him to act.
Paragraphs 10 - 11 B: The sound of the old - man's heartbeat creates a sense of unease and suspense for the reader. It builds tension as the narrator's reaction becomes more extreme, making the reader anticipate the climax of the story.
Paragraphs 12 - 13: The narrator seems to feel a sense of pride and satisfaction in how he carried out his plan. He is meticulous in his actions, showing off his cleverness in concealing the body.
Paragraphs 14 - 15 A: The narrator reacts with confidence and a light heart. He believes he has nothing to fear and welcomes the police, even inviting them to search thoroughly.
Paragraphs 14 - 15 B: Poe builds suspense by having the police arrive just as the narrator has completed his work. The narrator's over - confidence and the reader's knowledge of the crime create a sense of impending doom, as the reader wonders if the narrator will be caught.

Answer:

Paragraphs 10 - 11 A: "It increased my fury as the beating of a drum stimulates the soldier into courage", "It excited me to uncontrollable terror", "The beating seized me - the sound would be heard by a neighbor!"
Paragraphs 10 - 11 B: Creates unease and suspense, builds tension.
Paragraphs 12 - 13: Feels pride and satisfaction.
Paragraphs 14 - 15 A: Reacts with confidence and a light heart.
Paragraphs 14 - 15 B: Police arrival after narrator's work is done, narrator's over - confidence.