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This test consists of 15 multiple choice questions and 5 short answer questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What is John's mother doing quietly when his father asks him to sit down?
(a) Reading a book.
(b) Peeling potatoes.
(c) Cleaning the dishes.
(d) Washing clothes.

2. What does John fear as he sits before his father at the start of the story?
(a) He fears his father is going to tell him he is moving out.
(b) He fears his father is going to tell him he cannot go away to school.
(c) He fears his father lost his job.
(d) He fears his father knows his secret.

3. What is the main character's name?
(a) Steven.
(b) Joseph.
(c) John.
(d) Paul.

4. What does John's father ask him, which John feels he has told his father many times?
(a) John's father asks him if he cleaned his hut.
(b) John's father asks him if he did his homework.
(c) John's father asks him if he got good grades this term.
(d) John's father asks him when his journey is.

5. Where did John's parent live when John was very young?
(a) Mombasa.
(b) Fort Hall.
(c) Limuru.
(d) Nairobi.

6. What does John's father carry in his bag as he walks down the street?
(a) A Bible.
(b) His shoes.
(c) His change purse.
(d) School books.

7. What does John's father tell him he does not want him to hear of before dismissing John from their conversation at the start of the story?
(a) He does not want to hear John is disobeying his mother.
(b) He does not want to hear that John has a girlfriend.
(c) He does not want to hear that John is not doing well in school.
(d) He does not want to hear of any trouble.

8. How does John's mother always refer to him?
(a) John John.
(b) The boy.
(c) Little one.
(d) Little John.

9. Why does John's father ask him what he has done after asking him to sit at the start of the story?
(a) John will not look at him.
(b) John's father heard a rumor about him in town.
(c) John had told his father they needed to talk.
(d) John's mother told him he had gotten into trouble.

10. What is John's mother's name?
(a) Mary.
(b) Lilith.
(c) Susana.
(d) Annie.

11. What is John's father's occupation?
(a) Teacher.
(b) Preacher.
(c) Farmer.
(d) Doctor.

12. What word does John's mother use to describe how he treats his son?
(a) Antagonize.
(b) Persecute.
(c) Threaten.
(d) Admonish.

13. What does John's father hope to protect his son from?
(a) Danger.
(b) Evil influences.
(c) Not getting a good education.
(d) Disease.

14. Where is the main character standing as he watches his father walk down the street at the start of the story?
(a) Against the tree outside his hut.
(b) Ih his room at school.
(c) In the doorway of his hut.
(d) At the bus stop.

15. Where does John's father tell him they will go the next day when they first speak at the start of the story?
(a) The shops.
(b) Church.
(c) A restaurant.
(d) Schol.

Short Answer Questions

1. What does John's father think as he pauses before responding after his wife asks him why he treats John the way he does?

2. At which point is it said that John's parents stopped being happy?

3. What did John's father tell his mother to talk to John about instead of telling him the stories she had always told him?

4. Why does John's mother wonder if his father's treatment of him stems from resentment?

5. How does John feel about the way his father often looks at him?

(see the answer keys)

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