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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What did Mike give Jack to read?

2. What type of curriculum did Mike say was the used by one teacher in his new job?

3. What word did Mike use referring to the lively UCLA building where he worked?

4. Who said that correctness was the era's "most significant measure of accomplished prose"?

5. What was Mike's reaction as a boy read Shakespeare?

Short Essay Questions

1. According to Mike, how did nineteenth century educators view their mission to help the poor?

2. What did Mike say was the base of twentieth century English education?

3. How did Mike feel the educators of his time viewed helping the poor?

4. Why did Harold feel alone?

5. What did Mike believe caused Suzanne to write sentence fragments?

6. What was Jerry Williams' reaction when he was told he couldn't take the final exam?

7. What struck Mike most about people struggling to learn?

8. What did Mike say was the link between students' backgrounds and their success or failure in college?

9. How did students react when they were assigned to take the English as a Second Language class?

10. Why did Mike say that teachers in some neighborhoods were unable to do anything for their students?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss how not having advocates for their success in the school system affected students' performances. Use examples from the book.

Essay Topic 2

Discuss how the focus placed on statistics caused some students not to get the assistance they needed. Use examples from the book.

Essay Topic 3

Discuss what effect Mike's experience with literary works had on his teaching methods. Use examples from the book.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 652 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample