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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. For what did Balakian win a trophy at the end of his first year at the private high school?
(a) Freshman athlete of the year.
(b) English student of the year.
(c) Most popular freshman.
(d) Most likely to succeed.

2. What instrument did Balakian's cousin Haigie play?
(a) Piano.
(b) Violin.
(c) Flute.
(d) Cello.

3. At what school did Aunt Anna teach French?
(a) Vassar.
(b) CUNY.
(c) NYU.
(d) Columbia.

4. Approximately how many Armenians were slaughtered in Diarbekir in 1915?
(a) 75,000.
(b) 150,000.
(c) 200,000.
(d) 100,000.

5. What was the lowest mark Balakian's female relatives gave to the houses they viewed during their Sunday drives?
(a) Ugly.
(b) Hum hum.
(c) F.
(d) Next.

Short Answer Questions

1. What junk food did Balakian reminisce about eating at the Dillstein's house?

2. How many children were in the Wall family?

3. Where did Balakian and his father meet the Indian dressed as a chief during their cross-country tour?

4. What does the word hokee mean?

5. What sports implement was hanging in the office of Dr. Cooley, the headmaster of Balakian's new private high school?

Short Essay Questions

1. What impression did the writer, William Saroyan, make on Balakian during the party at his aunt's apartment?

2. How did sports help heal the rift between Balakian and his father?

3. In what ways did life at Auntie Anna's and Uncle Steve's house differ from life in the Balakian household?

4. How did Balakian's school term paper on Turkey mark a turning point in his relationship with his father?

5. What were some of the reasons Balakian likely did not seek out information about Armenia while he was still in college?

6. When the Balakian family was preparing to move to another town, what was the deeper significance of Balakian's mother's insistence that her son not get too attached to any one place?

7. How did Balakian's mother's behavior at the restaurant in France reflect her cultured upbringing?

8. How did Balakian's grandmother establish a strong bond with him through cooking?

9. How did Balakian's family's attachment to food reflect their ancestors' history?

10. How did Balakian's memorial poem for his grandmother reflect his Armenian past?

(see the answer keys)

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