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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. What word is used to describe Bill in addition to his feeling slightly superior?

2. Against what country did Swede join the marines for a final assault over in the book?

3. What is the name of a Jewish man who praises Swede and pressures him to join a local Jewish organization?

4. What does Swede realize that Merry has been since she was fifteen after he sees her in Chapter 6?

5. What does Swede's brother refer to him as because he cannot take the brutality of the world?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Marcia describe Dawn's beauty pageants?

2. Why did Dawn choose to raise cattle according to the narrator?

3. What does Marcia remark about regarding social conditions in Chapter 8?

4. How are Lou's feelings towards the Nixon administration described in the book?

5. What is the nature of the letter Swede receives from Rita at the beginning of Chapter 5?

6. How is Swede's conversation with Bill, Jessie, and Lou described in Chapter 9?

7. How are Merry's values as a Jain described in the book?

8. What is the nature of Swede's memory of knocking Bill out on the football field?

9. What does Jessie do to Lou at the end of the book?

10. How does Sheila explain her reason for taking Merry in, to Swede in Chapter 9?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Examine the role of stuttering in the book. What did Merry's bout with stuttering suggest about her mental health?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the portrayal of the structure of society in the book. What might the author be saying about social stereotypes based on his portrayal of Swede and his friends?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the author's use of tone. What details is the author able to introduce about the characters by using varying tones in one chapter?

(see the answer keys)

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