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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 is the name of the church Barbara and Cedric attend?

2. Where does Barbara grow up?

3. Where does Cedric Gilliam want to take Cedric the summer after graduation?

4. How many points does Cedric raise his SAT score when he takes it again?

5. Where does Trilling suggest Cedric apply to college?

Short Essay Questions

1. What are some things that have happened lately at the beginning of the book that indicate Ballou Senior High is a troubled and violent school?

2. How do Cedric and Rob spend their first afternoon together?

3. What is Barbara Jennings' financial situation?

4. What are Barbara's early years like?

5. How do Cedric's SAT scores compare to the other students at the M.I.T. program?

6. Why has Bishop Long been criticized for his role at Scripture Cathedral?

7. Who is James Davis?

8. After eight months, why does Cedric Gilliam lose his work release job?

9. How does Rob feel about having Cedric for a roommate?

10. Why does Cedric decide to apply to Brown?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Compare how the phrase "a hope unseen" refers to Cedric's life and how it refers to the lives of immigrants to the United States. What examples does Cedric use in the Epilogue to show this comparison?

Essay Topic 2

Compare Phillip Atkins' life before and after his eighth grade year, and explain why he changes at that point in time.

Essay Topic 3

In Chapter 1, Mr. Taylor compares the challenges in Cedric's life to "a race, a long race?" Explain why Mr. Taylor uses the metaphor of a race. Why does Cedric's mother also use the image of a race to describe the challenges Cedric faces? How do the challenges that Cedric experiences compare to a race?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 876 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample