Ace of Spades Quiz – 20 Questions
This quiz covers the entire novel Ace of Spades, from its opening epigraphs to the final confrontation. Questions span plot sequence, character motivation, theme and symbol, and synthesis. Each question is multiple-choice or short-answer. After the quiz you'll find a complete answer key with brief explanations. For more detailed discussion, explore the book overview, questions and answers, or the ending explained.
Plot and Sequence Questions (8)
1. What is the name of the elite private school where the story takes place?
A. Niveus Academy
B. Albans School
C. Rosewood Prep
D. Danforth Academy
2. Which two Black students are in their senior year and become the targets of Aces?
A. Chiamaka Adebayo and Devon Richards
B. Jamie Fitzjohn and Belle Robinson
C. Jack McConnel and Terrell Rosario
D. Ruby and Ava
3. What event triggers the start of the anonymous harassment campaign?
A. A photo of Devon kissing another boy is leaked to the school
B. Chiamaka is accused of stealing from a candy store
C. Devon is named Senior Prefect
D. Jamie rejects Chiamaka in public
4. What is the name of the anonymous texter who torments the protagonists?
A. The Joker
B. Aces
C. Queen of Spades
D. The Watcher
5. In the 1965 yearbook, what does Chiamaka discover about Camp Aces?
A. A photo of men holding ace of spades cards, including a young Headmaster Ward
B. A list of all Black students who graduated with honors
C. A plan to integrate the school
D. A scholarship fund for minority students
6. What happens to the two USB drives that Chiamaka and Devon find taped to ace of spades cards in their lockers?
A. They are deliberately corrupted and fail to read
B. They contain full confessions from the school
C. They are blank and unusable
D. They play a recorded message from Aces
7. Where do Chiamaka and Devon plan to publicly expose the school’s conspiracy?
A. At the Senior Snowflake Charity Ball
B. During a school assembly
C. In the Morgan Library
D. At a local news station
8. How does the novel end for Niveus Academy?
A. The school is destroyed by fire after explosions during a protest
B. The school is shut down by the state
C. The school wins a legal battle and remains open
D. The school is bought by a new owner
Character Motivation Questions (5)
9. Why does Chiamaka agree to become Head Prefect at Niveus Academy?
A. She believes she earned the position through hard work and strategic social maneuvering, and she aims for Yale
B. She is forced by her parents
C. She wants to impress Jamie
D. She wants to spy on the school
10. Why does Devon keep his relationship with Andre (Dre) a secret from most people at school?
A. He is closeted and fears homophobic reactions and family rejection
B. He is embarrassed by Andre’s job
C. He wants to protect Andre from his own drug dealing
D. He is ashamed of his own background
11. According to the evidence Devon finds on computer 17, what role did Jack McConnel play in the Aces campaign?
A. He distributed Devon’s private messages to other students
B. He was the anonymous texter
C. He protected Devon from harm
D. He reported the leaks to the headmaster
12. Why did Terrell Rosario initially spy on Devon for Niveus Academy? (Choose the best answer.)
A. He was paid by an unknown man to watch Devon; he briefly considered the money for his sister’s medical bills but refused, yet stayed silent out of fear
B. He hated Devon and wanted to ruin him
C. He was forced by his own family to cooperate
D. He hoped to become a prefect
13. What motivation does Mr. Taylor reveal when he sabotages Devon’s college plans?
A. He believes people of Devon’s background do not need higher education and is part of the school’s conspiracy
B. He wants Devon to stay at Niveus as a music teacher
C. He is jealous of Devon’s talent
D. He was paid by another student
Theme and Symbol Questions (4)
14. What does the ace of spades card primarily symbolize in the novel?
A. The school’s racist secret society and its campaign to destroy Black students
B. Good luck and success
C. A harmless club for chess lovers
D. A symbol of rebellion
15. What does the fire that consumes Niveus Academy at the end of the story represent?
A. The destruction of an oppressive system, along with the danger faced by the protesters
B. Revenge by the protagonists
C. A random accident
D. The cleaning of old records
16. How does the novel define “social eugenics” as practiced by Niveus?
A. Admitting two Black students every decade and systematically driving them out before graduation
B. Selecting only the best students regardless of background
C. Encouraging diversity through scholarships
D. Forcing students to take biology classes
17. The epigraphs from Gossip Girl and Get Out serve what purpose?
A. They blend the tone of an elite-school drama with racial horror, foreshadowing hidden danger and surveillance
B. They indicate the novel is a comedy
C. They reveal the identity of Aces
D. They summarize the entire plot
Synthesis Questions (3)
18. How does Ace of Spades critique the idea of meritocracy at elite institutions? Provide one example from the story.
(Short answer – write two to four sentences.)
19. Describe how Devon and Chiamaka’s partnership changes from the beginning to the end of the novel.
(Short answer – write two to four sentences.)
20. Why did author Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé set the story in an unspecified location? Explain using evidence from the author’s note.
(Short answer – write two to four sentences.)
Answer Key
1. A – Niveus Academy is the elite school where the harassment takes place.
2. A – Chiamaka Adebayo and Devon Richards are the two Black students singled out by Aces.
3. A – In Chapter 4, a photo of Devon kissing another boy is leaked, sparking the public campaign.
4. B – The anonymous texter calls themselves “Aces” and sends incriminating messages and images.
5. A – Chiamaka finds a yearbook picture of men holding ace of spades cards, including a young Headmaster Ward, proving the conspiracy’s long history.
6. A – The USBs are deliberately corrupted so they cannot be used as evidence; Devon confirms this in Chapter 19.
7. A – They plan to expose the school during the Senior Snowflake Charity Ball with a live broadcast.
8. A – The ballroom explodes and catches fire during a protest, destroying the school (Chapters 44–45).
9. A – Chiamaka believes she earned the role through her own effort and social strategy, and she values the prestige for her college applications (Chapter 2).
10. A – Devon is closeted and fears homophobic attacks and losing his mother’s support (Chapters 1, 3, and later his coming-out scene).
11. A – While using computer 17, Devon finds a file listing Jack McConnel as the distributor of his private messages (Chapter 27).
12. A – Terrell confesses he was approached to spy for money for his sister’s care, briefly considered it, refused, but remained silent out of fear (Chapter 41).
13. A – Mr. Taylor tells Devon that people “of his kind” do not need higher education and reveals he never approved Devon’s excused absences (Chapter 29).
14. A – The ace of spades is the symbol of the secret society that targets Black students across decades (Chapters 28 and 31).
15. A – The fire destroys the school, symbolizing the collapse of an oppressive system, while also putting the protagonists and protesters in danger (Chapters 44–45).
16. A – Chiamaka’s speech at the ball defines social eugenics as Niveus’s practice of admitting two Black students each decade and forcing them out (Chapter 42).
17. A – The epigraphs set the tone by mixing the glamour of Gossip Girl with the racial unease of Get Out, foreshadowing the blend of elite-school drama and horror (Chapter 1).
18. Example answer: The novel shows that no matter how hard Chiamaka works, she is still targeted because of her race. She earns Head Prefect and top grades, but the school’s system is designed to destroy her, exposing meritocracy as a lie. Devon’s music talent also cannot protect him from systemic sabotage.
19. Example answer: At first, Devon and Chiamaka are strangers who distrust each other. As Aces escalates, they become reluctant allies, sharing evidence and planning together. By the end, they hold hands and walk into the ballroom together, showing mutual trust and solidarity.
20. Example answer: In the Author’s Note, Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé explains that she kept the setting neutral to show that anti-Blackness is a global issue, not confined to one country. She wanted readers to see the story as a universal allegory rather than a local problem.