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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 is apparent about the bride to the other passengers?
(a) That she has cooked.
(b) That her dress is lovely.
(c) That her shoes are worn.
(d) That she is beautiful.

2. What is the drummer feeling as danger approaches?
(a) Bravery.
(b) Increasing bewilderment and anxiety.
(c) Terror.
(d) A sense of fun.

3. What does the man say who enters the bar?
(a) That Scratchy just came in on the train.
(b) That Jack's new bride has arrived.
(c) That Scratchy Wilson is drunk.
(d) That Jack is returning on the train.

4. As the groom shows the bride the appointments of the train car, how is he acting?
(a) Like the owner.
(b) Llike he is ignorant.
(c) Too loud.
(d) Like he is afraid.

5. What does the man tell the drummer as he walks into the bar about what will happen in the town?
(a) Scratchy will shoot up this bar."
(b) "Scratchy will shoot up everyon in the town."
(c) Scratchy will kill the dog."
(d) "For the next few hours this town won't be a health resort."

Short Answer Questions

1. What does the porter do when he sees them run from the train?

2. What does the porter do to make the exit from the train easier?

3. In the drummer's story, what was the woman carrying up the stairs?

4. At first, the drummer refuses to come behind the bar. Why?

5. What did the couple do before boarding the train?

Short Essay Questions

1. Explain the role of the African-American porters in this story. How do they regard the couple? Why? Is this alluding to a reverse of racial attitudes of the times?

2. What did Jack once do to Scratchy? Why is this important to the story? Do these men really feel that they cannot handle the situation without Jack, or do they just not want to?

3. What does the drummer say to the man who comes to the door with the warning?

4. How is the bride described in the story?

5. What do the fittings on the train symbolize for the couple?

6. How does the author describe the man at the railway station? What does his description tell us about the weather that day?

7. The author describes the grassy plots across the street from the bar as looking like grass on a stage. What does this tell the reader about the times and entertainment?

8. What is the drummer talking about at the opening of Chapter 3? What story is he telling? Do you think he does this often? Do you think he's told this story before? Why? Why not?

9. What is the symbolism of Jack's "brick colored" hands? What does this tell the reader about Jack?

10. Describe the town. Detail the colors and textures as experienced by a visitor. Why do you think the story is set in this town?

(see the answer keys)

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