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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. When did the Great Fire of Chicago occur?

2. From what station does Joe Dowdel ship out for basic training in "The Troop Train"?

3. What name does Mary Alice tell Joey she is giving to the puppy that she found in "The Phantom Brakeman"?

4. What was Veech's Gas and Oil before it became a garage?

5. What organization in Grandma's town shows movies at their outdoor picture show in "Things with Wings"?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is the significance of Nehi sodas in “The Phantom Brakeman”?

2. What do Joey and Mary Alice discover in Grandma Dowdel's attic in “Things with Wings"?

3. How would you describe the style of language and dialogue in A Long Way from Chicago?

4. What is the ghost story that Grandma Dowdel relates in “The Phantom Brakeman”?

5. What noise does Joey hear from Mary Alice's bedroom at night in “The Phantom Brakeman”?

6. What exchange takes place the first time Miz Eubanks comes to Grandma Dowdel's house in “The Phantom Brakeman”?

7. What childhood dream is Joey Dowdel pursuing in “The Troop Train"? How?

8. Why does Grandma Dowdel send Mary Alice and Joey to the attic in “Centennial Summer"? What do they find?

9. How old are Mary Alice and Joey when they visit Grandma Dowdel in “Centennial Summer"? How have they grown as characters?

10. What fight breaks out during the parade in “Centennial Summer"? How is the fight resolved?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Describe and discuss the antagonists in "The Mouse in the Milk." Who are the antagonists in the story? How does Grandma Dowdel outwit the antagonists? What is the outcome of the narrative?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the themes of deception and cunning in the stories from A Long Way from Chicago. In what stories are these themes most predominant? How? What characters embody or exhibit these themes?

Essay Topic 3

Describe and discuss the setting of “Shotgun Cheatham’s Last Night above Ground.” In what year does this story take place? How would you describe the mood and atmosphere established through the setting in the story? Where does Grandma Dowdel live?

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This section contains 873 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample