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This test consists of 5 multiple choice questions, 5 short answer questions, and 10 short essay questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. Whom does Two-Tie ask for when he calls the racetrack in Chapter 11?
(a) Mr. Smithers.
(b) Mr. Chenille.
(c) Mr. Beaufait.
(d) Mr. Wood.

2. Who is talking about claiming the Mahdi at the next race, according to Vernon in Chapter 17?
(a) Zeno.
(b) Joe Dale.
(c) Two-Tie.
(d) Tommy.

3. At whose house is the card game taking place in Chapter 11?
(a) At Maggie's house.
(b) At Two-Tie's house.
(c) At Medicine Ed's house.
(d) At Tommy's house.

4. What is the name of Tommy and Maggie's landlady who is a racetrack widow?
(a) Mrs. Roster.
(b) Miss Lillian.
(c) Mrs. Pichot.
(d) Mrs. Anderson.

5. For what periodical did Maggie write food columns prior to coming to Indian Mound Downs?
(a) The Chattanooga Gazette.
(b) The New York Times.
(c) The Winchester Mail.
(d) The Advocate.

Short Answer Questions

1. Where does the narrator describe Tommy's mother working as a waitress in Chapter 2?

2. Who does Medicine Ed borrow money from to invest in Little Spinoza?

3. Why has Medicine Ed decided to work for Tommy?

4. What is the name of the horse that Joe Dale is trying to make Deucey take in Chapter 11?

5. Where are Zeno's former stalls that Tommy acquires in Chapter 12?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Deucey relate to Maggie regarding luck in Chapter 2?

2. How is the horse named Little Spinoza regarded by the main characters in the novel?

3. How does Deucey regard the change in her luck after buying Little Spinoza?

4. How does the narrative perspective shift in Chapter 15? Why does the author make this shift?

5. How is the theme of luck explored in Chapter 1 of the novel?

6. What is contained in Medicine Ed's red velvet bag? What is the purpose of this concoction?

7. How does Earlie respond to his race riding Little Spinoza?

8. How are Boll Weevil and the Mahdi compared to one another as they prepare for the first race?

9. How does the narrative style of the novel change in Chapter 5? What is noteworthy about this change?

10. How has Two-Tie's behavior changed in Chapter 17? What are the impacts of the changes in Two-Tie's character?

(see the answer keys)

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