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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 kind of vehicle do the Weidenbachs own in "The Day of Judgment"?

2. How much is the charge for a ride on the biplane at the county fair in "The Day of Judgment"?

3. Where does Grandma Dowdel's old tomcat live?

4. How old is Joey during his visit to Grandma Dowdel's in "The Mouse in the Milk"?

5. How old is Joey Dowdel during his first visit to his Grandmother's in "Shotgun Cheatham's Last Night Above Ground"?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Grandma Dowdel trap the Cowgill brothers in "The Mouse in the Milk"? What does she tell Joey to do once she has them trapped?

2. How does Grandma Dowdel describe "the truth" of Shotgun Cheatham and how he got his name?

3. How does the narrator describe the process of preparing Grandma's pie in "The Day of Judgment"?

4. Who is Grandma Dowdel's biggest opposition in the cooking contest at the fair in "The Day of Judgment"? How is this character described?

5. What story does Grandma Dowdel give to the city reporter about Shotgun Cheatham? Why?

6. How are the sheriff and Chamber of Commerce president described when Joey, Mary Alice, and Grandma encounter them after fishing in “A One Woman Crime Wave"?

7. What does Joey ask Grandma Dowdel in the end of "The Day of Judgment"? What is her reply?

8. How does the author establish an atmosphere of the Chicago gangster scene in "Shotgun Cheatham's Last Night Above Ground"?

9. Where does Grandma Dowdel take Joey and Mary Alice to go fishing in “A One Woman Crime Wave"? How do they fish?

10. Why does Shotgun Cheatham's death raise interest in out-of-towners in "Shotgun Cheatham's Last Night Above Ground"?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the theme of forbidden love in “The Phantom Brakeman.” What character embody this theme? Why is their love forbidden? How do these characters overcome the obstacles that they face from the community?

Essay Topic 2

Describe the talent show in “Centennial Summer." Who performs in the talent show? Who wins the blue ribbon? Why is this a surprise for Joey?

Essay Topic 3

What does Grandma Dowdel achieve by lying to the Peoria reporter in “Shotgun Cheatham’s Last Night above Ground"? How do Grandma's actions in this story impact the town where she lives? What are Joey and Mary Alice's impressions of Grandma's actions?

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This section contains 978 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample