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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. Where does Phillip allow Alex to park his car?

2. Where do Alex, Phillip and Mr. Carver go after leaving the church?

3. With whom does Mrs. Carver spend much of her time on the Saturday outings?

4. What did the two families often do together on Saturdays?

5. What does Mr. Carver say to Alex and Phillip after speaking with the minister?

Short Essay Questions

1. In Chapter 10, why does George Carver move the family to Nashville when Phillip is five years old? Where does the family live? How does he establish himself and his family in town?

2. While at Sunday supper with his family at Owl Mountain in Chapter 11, Phillip sees both Clara Price and Lewis Shackleford in the dining room. How does Phillip react to both of these important people?

3. When Alex arrives in Memphis in Chapter 7, he sees his father waving to him from the runway. Describe Father's behavior upon seeing Phillip. What is happening that day? How does his father appear to Phillip?

4. In Chapter 8, Betsy and Josephine have prepared a bed for Phillip in their father's study. However, Phillip does not stay. He leaves his father and sisters and returns to New York. Why does he not remain and defend his father against his sisters? Why does Phillip leave so hastily?

5. At the end of Chapter 12, what does the reader know about all of the main characters?

6. In Chapter 9, Phillip explains the difference between his father and Alex Mercer as an important factor in their friendship. What is this difference?

7. In Chapter 9, Phillip gives us a glimpse of Holly's life. How do we learn about Holly and how she fits into her family?

8. In Chapter 10, Phillip comes to a realization about his father and the move to Memphis. What does he decide regarding his father's move with the family to a new city to begin again?

9. In Chapter 12, Phillip gives the four leaf clover pendant to Holly. How does she respond? What does Phillip know from her response?

10. In Chapter 12, Phillip begins calling his father on a weekly basis. Why are those calls important to Phillip?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Phillip realizes his father did not consider how the move to Memphis would affect all members of the family. Was the move to Memphis the only thing to affect the Carvers? Was there another factor at play, one much more dramatic than the move, that actually changed the course of everyone's lives?

Essay Topic 2

Are Betsy and Josephine justified in preventing Father from marrying and cloistering him in his home with their constant oversight? Defend your position.

Essay Topic 3

It is unusual for a young man to be close friends with a classmate and that young man's father. Yet, Alex Mercer balances these two relationships for much of his life. On what core values and experiences are their friendships built? In what ways do they differ?

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