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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. What does the author witness while researching a story on the history of segregation in Chicago?
(a) A bank robbery.
(b) A black family being evicted from their home.
(c) A gang-related shooting.
(d) A drive-by shooting.

2. According to senator John C. Calhoun, "The two great divisions of society are not the rich and the poor, but _____" what?
(a) Male and female.
(b) White and black.
(c) Educated and uneducated.
(d) Wise and foolish.

3. What hope does the author have for his son?
(a) That he learns to be "thrice as good."
(b) That he "descend into his own Dream."
(c) That he become a conscious citizen of this "terrible and beautiful world."
(d) That he "learn to live in peace with others."

4. What regret does the author have about the incident with his son and the escalator?
(a) That his son might have seen him arrested.
(b) That his son learned about violence.
(c) That the woman was not punished for shoving a child.
(d) That a pleasant evening was ruined.

5. What regret does the author have about the friend he made in France?
(a) He was so blinded by past fears he couldn't enjoy the mutual friendship.
(b) He doesn't remember his friend's name.
(c) They haven't kept in touch since he has returned to America.
(d) He didn't remember to write down his friend's phone number.

Short Answer Questions

1. How did the Internet affect the author's writing?

2. According to the author, some black people justify the destruction of black bodies for the sake of:

3. What does the author mean when he says black children are told to be "twice as good"?

4. The dead boy's mother channeled her anger into _____.

5. From what does the author draw joy?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why has the author been too afraid to encourage his son to stand up for his rights?

2. What revelation does the author have about police officers and authority figures after the September 11 attacks?

3. What does the author mean by every country having an "above" and a "below"?

4. According to the author, how is racism experienced through city planning and real estate?

5. What reasons does the author give for the woman feeling validated in pushing his son off the escalator?

6. According to the author, how do the behaviors of police departments reflect American values?

7. Why did the author move to New York?

8. Why is the author's fear of his son seeing him arrested greater than his fear of being arrested?

9. What reasons does the author give for the anger of the man who was having his home repossessed?

10. What lesson does the mother of the boy on page 112 (Lucia McBath) try to impart to the author's son?

(see the answer keys)

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