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This test consists of 15 multiple choice questions and 5 short answer questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. By the time all of the parts are assigned in the narrative, most of the actors have what last name?
(a) Armstrong.
(b) Herdman.
(c) Hopkins.
(d) Wendelken.

2. The narrator states that "the Herdmans started out mean, right from" (59) what?
(a) Their first screams.
(b) Their first breaths.
(c) The cradle.
(d) The stroller.

3. Whom does the narrator name as the character who always plays the role of Mary?
(a) Imogene.
(b) Herself.
(c) Alice.
(d) Gladys.

4. What reason does Mother finally give Mrs. Armstrong so that she can get off the phone and cook the pork chops?
(a) She says there is someone at the door.
(b) She says there is someone else on the other line.
(c) She says that her husband is hungry.
(d) She says that she is tired of Mrs. Armstrong's calls at supper time.

5. What happens to rob the pageant of its real infant playing the role of Jesus?
(a) The baby is adopted by a family.
(b) The baby gets chicken pox.
(c) The baby is needed for another nativity pageant that night.
(d) The baby gets the mumps.

6. What does the narrator mean when she says Mother told her "not to be so fresh" (26)?
(a) Mother told the narrator not to be so prim and proper.
(b) Mother told the narrator not be so quick to judge people.
(c) Mother told the narrator not to use so much hand soap.
(d) Mother told the narrator not to talk back.

7. What does the narrator say about the prediction that no would come to see the pageant?
(a) She says the person had been wrong.
(b) She says the person had been partially correct.
(c) She says the person had been right.
(d) She says that the person could not possibly believe their own luck.

8. How much had the character who always played Joseph unsuccessfully offered another character to play the role of Joseph instead?
(a) 50 cents.
(b) $10.
(c) $1.
(d) $5.

9. What evidence is there for the conclusion that Mother had been a good choice to run a pageant full of Herdmans?
(a) She had studied acting in college and knows how to handle difficult actors.
(b) She is a large, intimidating woman who yells a lot.
(c) She is very patient and explains everything to them so they can understand the story.
(d) She is tough and does not take any mouthing off from the Herdman kids.

10. To what historical person does the narrator allude when referring to the ludicrous nature of Mother's declaration about the coming Christmas pageant?
(a) Sitting Bull.
(b) Jacques Cousteau.
(c) Amelia Earhart.
(d) General Custer.

11. What is NOT an act included on the pad of paper that lists the bad actions of the Herdman siblings during rehearsals?
(a) They drink communion wine.
(b) They steal Bibles.
(c) They steal crayons from the Sunday School cupboards.
(d) They smoke cigars in the bathroom.

12. How often does Mrs. Armstrong call the narrator's mother from her hospital bed?
(a) Twice a week.
(b) Every day.
(c) Five times a day.
(d) Every other day.

13. Mrs. Armstrong tells Mother that she always reminds the pageant participants of what saying?
(a) A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.
(b) A stitch in time saves nine.
(c) It is better to be safe than sorry.
(d) There are no small parts, only small actors.

14. What is Alice's reply when Mother asks her the reason for her behavior during the choosing of parts?
(a) She says that she does not know.
(b) She says that Gladys had threatened her with violence.
(c) She says that she has stage fright.
(d) She says that her mother had wanted her to make a change.

15. What element does the narrator name as keeping people from getting into the library basement undetected?
(a) The treacherous stairs.
(b) A noisy chain.
(c) A sign-in sheet.
(d) A locked door.

Short Answer Questions

1. At what time of day does Mrs. Armstrong always call the narrator's mother to discuss the pageant?

2. What reason does Charlie's friend Hobie say he cannot be a shepherd?

3. How many rehearsals in total does Mother say will take place before the pageant performance?

4. Who begins to write down on a pad of paper every bad action taken by the Herdman siblings during the pageant rehearsals?

5. Mrs. Armstrong announces that however the pageant turns out, she will accept the what?

(see the answer keys)

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