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This test consists of 5 multiple choice questions, 5 short answer questions, and 10 short essay questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. Whose death reminded the author that his world and his son's were one and the same?
(a) The author's grandmother.
(b) Michael Jackson.
(c) The author's father.
(d) Michael Brown.

2. What hobby did the author pursue while at Howard University?
(a) Bowling.
(b) Music.
(c) Poetry.
(d) Poker.

3. What did the author's parents teach him about religion?
(a) They were devout Baptists.
(b) He should find his own spiritual path.
(c) They were devout Muslims.
(d) They rejected all religions.

4. According to the author, it is important that whether one wins or loses the fight, who should be by your side?
(a) Family.
(b) Pride.
(c) God.
(d) Friends.

5. Why did the author refrain from comforting his son when Michael Brown's killers were set free?
(a) His son locked the bedroom door.
(b) He was busy calling the news station.
(c) He was too sad to move off the couch,
(d) He feels he pain of grief is an important lesson.

Short Answer Questions

1. How are racism and race linked?

2. What is "the Yard"?

3. What did the author's mother urge him to do when he was in trouble at school?

4. What sorts of toys was the author not allowed to have as a child?

5. What is the "one-drop" rule?

Short Essay Questions

1. According to the author, what is the purpose of the public school system?

2. Why did the author's mother encourage him to write?

3. For what reasons did the author's father punish him and why?

4. What revelation does the author have about the European perception of Africans during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries?

5. How important were books to the author as he was growing up?

6. According to the author, why is America blind to it's racially defined shortcomings?

7. What influence did Malcom X have on the author as a young man?

8. What assumptions does the author make about PG County (Prince George's County) police officers and why?

9. How does the author compare his childhood to that of his son?

10. What does the author mean when he asks: "How do I live free in this black body?"

(see the answer keys)

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