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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 is Greer's occupation?

2. In Chapter 5, where does Betsey sit when she thinks about school integration?

3. What is the class learning about in geography on Betsey's first day at the new school?

4. Who are the police escorting in Chapter 2?

5. To whom does Betsey try to explain that Bernice is innocent?

Short Essay Questions

1. How is it demonstrated that Betsey's childhood is falling away?

2. Why does Betsey want to win the elocution contest?

3. What kind of connection does Betsey have with Regina in Chapter 8?

4. How has Betsey's romance with Eugene progressed in Chapter 11?

5. What foreshadowing is present in Chapter 12?

6. How do Jane and Vida feel about segregation?

7. How does Betsey feel about school integration?

8. How does Jane's talk differ from Carrie's talk?

9. How does Betsey justify Carrie's actions?

10. How does Betsey feel about the racism of Susan Linda's mother?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The Brown family home is extremely chaotic. How is this represented in the author's work? Analyze the plot of the story as well as Shange's diction, syntax, tone, and point of view and the ways in which they apply to the overall theme of chaos. What effect does chaos have on the reader?

Essay Topic 2

In what way do some of the events in the Brown household parallel actual events in the 1950's and 1960's? Look at school segregation, for example. What occurs in Betsey's home that represents the segregation occurring in reality? Why do you think the author chose to represent these historical events in this way?

Essay Topic 3

What finally makes Betsey feel as if she belongs in her family? Who makes her feel special? How does her family change to accommodate her? What final thoughts does she have as the story closes?

(see the answer keys)

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