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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. How does the author describe David's house?

2. What hadn't the author learned yet when he had the discussion in a foreign language with Mrs. Solovey?

3. What did Mr. Solovey wear that was unusual to the author?

4. Where were the communist headquarters?

5. What was the author afraid of?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is so significant about the author not being able to find his mother during the funeral service for Mrs. Solovey?

2. How did the author feel during the summer of his first job?

3. The author was given a book and the giver was surprised. Why was she surprised?

4. What led the author to fantasize about Mrs. Solovey every night before bed?

5. On the day of his confirmation at thirteen, the author discovers something in his study of the Bible. What did he discover?

6. What did the author do after the other boys had gone inside and why?

7. Mr. Solovey wasn't the most likable person in the neighborhood. What didn't people like about him?

8. When the author went to visit a friend in New York who lived in a brownstone, what did he discover?

9. Mrs. Solovey commits suicide late in this section and it shocks the neighborhood. Describe what emotions the neighborhood go through towards the Soloveys.

10. What did the author spend much of his time doing when he wasn't reading or in school?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Who does the author discover in the last section that makes the most impact on him? How does the author's discovery of this person lead him to even stronger feelings of "beyond' being attainable?

Essay Topic 2

The last section gives details of relationships the author has with two individuals. What about the "he" is important to the author? What about the "she" he speaks of is significant? How do they solidify his yearnings and his opportunities for "beyond"? What do their involvement in his life make "bearable"?

Essay Topic 3

The author walks through his childhood neighborhood describing significant places and moments. What could his reasoning for walking through his childhood be?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 822 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample