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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. Which of the following is NOT an adjective Annie uses to describe the boys at her weekly lessons?

2. Which of the following characters is known for giving telemarketers false information when they call?

3. What does Annie think might happen to her if she and her friend are caught putting things on the train tracks?

4. When Annie is fixated on the war, what does she look up into the sky, searching for?

5. Whose rights does Mother spend her lifetime fighting for?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is Father's role in the film "Night of the Living Dead"?

2. How does Annie Dillard describe Pittsburgh in the 18th century?

3. How does Annie feel about the boys she takes dance lessons with in school?

4. Why isn't Annie allowed to play with the Sheehy children?

5. How does Annie explore the skin of her parents?

6. Why does Annie Dillard's father leave home for a few months when she is a small girl, and what brings him back?

7. How does Father react when Annie digs up an old coin in the alleyway near their home?

8. How does Annie describe life for the typical family after WWII?

9. What is Annie shocked to realize when she first attempts to draw her baseball mitt ?

10. How was the city of Pittsburgh founded?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Annie's favorite sport as a child was baseball. First, explain how Annie was introduced to the sport, and how the sport of baseball affected her daily life. Then, describe Annie's experience playing baseball with the neighborhood children. What did she learn from this experience? Finally, describe Annie's emotions about the transition from playing baseball to playing softball. What did she learn about herself in this experience?

Essay Topic 2

Annie decided to title her memoir "An American Childhood." Do you think this is a fitting title for her memoir? Why or why not? Do you think Annie's experiences can speak for the typical American child? Why or why not? How does Annie manage to write about American childhoods even though she is writing from an extremely privileged socioeconomic status?

Essay Topic 3

Oma is a character who had deep impacts on Annie's life and her understanding of women. First, explain Annie's relationship to Oma as a child. Then, compare / contrast that to the relationship Annie had with Oma as a teenager. Why did Annie's relationship with Oma change so drastically, and what did Annie learn about the role of women through her relationship with Oma?

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