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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. Into what division of the military does Joe Dowdel enlist in "The Troop Train"?

2. Grandma Dowdel's unnamed town in A Long Way from Chicago is based on what actual town?

3. Of whom does Grandma Dowdel say "You couldn't blast [her] off her place with a charge of dynamite" in "Centennial Summer"?

4. What initials are discovered on the quilt that Grandma Dowdel brings to the rummage sale in "Things with Wings"?

5. How much are Vandalia's daily wages that she hands over to her mother at the Coffee Cup Cafe in "The Phantom Brakeman"?

Short Essay Questions

1. How has Grandma Dowdel's demeanor changed in the beginning of “Things with Wings"? Why?

2. When is “The Troop Train" set? Where is the story set?

3. What image of Grandma Dowdel is described by Joey when he sees her in “The Troop Train"?

4. What exchange do Mary Alice and Joey witness between Vandalia Eubanks and her mother at the Coffee Pot Cafe in “The Phantom Brakeman”?

5. How does Grandma Dowdel succeed in getting Effie Wilcox her house back in “Things with Wings"?

6. How is Uncle Grady Griswold described in “Centennial Summer"?

7. What does the sign say that greets Joey and Mary Alice when they arrive at Grandma's town in “Centennial Summer"?

8. What does the narrator say about John Dillinger in “Things with Wings"?

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

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

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

Discuss the symbolism and imagery in "The Troop Train." What does Joey anticipate and what does he witness when he passes through Grandma Dowdel's town? What is symbolized by this imagery? What does it mean to Joey?

Essay Topic 3

Compare and contrast the characters of Grandma Dowdel and Idella Eubanks in the stories. How are these women similar? How do they differ? What conflicts arise between Grandma Dowdel and Idella Eubanks? How are the conflicts resolved?

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