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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 gift does August offer Jacob for his help with Rosie?

2. What does August want Jacob to tell him?

3. What does a nurse refuse to bring elderly Jacob in Chapter 13?

4. Elderly Jacob suffers two disappointments in chapter 19. What is the second?

5. What is Kinko's real name?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does elderly Jacob learn about Rosemary that upsets him?

2. How does August react to Marlena's surprise?

3. What does Jacob discover about Rosie?

4. Why did Marlena marry August?

5. What surprise does Marlena arrange for August after Rosie's first successful show?

6. What is stolen several days in a row?

7. Why are Camel and Walter thrown from the train?

8. What does Jacob use to pay the doctor?

9. How does August react to Marlena's injuries?

10. What is rumored to be wrong with the elephant?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss Prohibition. What is Prohibition? Why was it enacted? How does it affect the common man? How does pPohibition play a role in this novel? Who is directly affected by Prohibition? Who is indirectly affected? Why do you think the author chose to set her novel during prohibition? How would the novel be different if the author had set the story in a different era? Whose life would have been different? Why?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss setting. What is the setting of this novel? How does the setting of this novel directly affect the actions and behaviors of the characters? What is most significant about the setting in this novel? Why do you think the author chose this setting for her novel? Would the novel's plot work if the setting had been different, such as set in the future or the more immediate past? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss young Jacob. Why does Jacob jump the circus train? Did Jacob know it was a circus train? Was Jacob looking for a job with the circus? What is Jacob looking for at the circus? Does he find it? Explain your answer.

(see the answer keys)

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