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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. When do the women actually start preaching?
(a) Well into Spring.
(b) Early July.
(c) Right after the New Year.
(d) Late February.

2. What does Laura do to gain the church space?
(a) Invites the landlord to her home.
(b) Bribes the landlord and promises three months in advance rent.
(c) Threatens to turn in the landlord for code violations.
(d) Tells the landlord he can have 25 percent of the weekly collections.

3. What does Essie want to discuss with Laura?
(a) Getting a preaching license from city hall.
(b) Bringing Essie's daughter there.
(c) Taking the bus to Brooklyn to visit Essie's mother.
(d) The idea for the church.

4. What does Laura do to keep the cops from stopping the preaching because of no license?
(a) Nothing since the problem has miraculously not happened.
(b) Tells them God will fix their problems.
(c) Gives them sex.
(d) Bribes them.

5. What plan do Laura and Buddy devise?
(a) To gradually get Essie out of the church altogether.
(b) To siphon money out of the church funds.
(c) To sell prayer indulgences.
(d) To sell ordinary tap water as holy water from the river Jordan.

Short Answer Questions

1. How does Laura inspire Essie?

2. What is the reason for the time they arrive?

3. What does Laura want to play a greater role in church services?

4. Why does Laura hire an artist?

5. What does Laura discover after she has talked about her life for some time?

Short Essay Questions

1. Do you think Buddy's conversion is sincere?

2. What do you think is the significance of Chapter 26's title, "Moon Over Harlem"?

3. What do you think is the symbolism of the rock mentioned in Chapter 3?

4. Of what might the serpent with eyes that sparkle like diamonds in Chapter 11 be symbolic?

5. Why do you think something that seems such a minor detail should be mentioned, such as the fact that Birdie is always running to the bathroom?

6. Do you think Essie's journey towards spiritual enlightenment is helped or hindered by being thrown into jail?

7. What do you think might be the significance of the title "Palm Sunday," of Chapter 1?

8. At the beginning of Chapter 1, how are the two women described and what might be construed by these descriptions?

9. What do you think is the significance of the title of Chapter 17, "Lights Out"?

10. How is the title of Chapter 28, "Cross to Bear" relevant to Buddy and Laura's relationship?

(see the answer keys)

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