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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 did Jacqueline come to call her maternal grandfather when living with him, according to the narrative of "Gunnar's Children"?

2. What Biblical river is referenced in the poem "The Leavers"?

3. Where were Jacqueline Woodson's ancestors living when they were slaves?

4. What breakfast does the poet describe eating in "Bible Times"?

5. Who in Jacqueline Woodson's family wanted her to be named simply "Jack"?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does the author describe the names in her family in "Family Names"?

2. When and where does the author describe her paternal great-great-grandfather's birth in "It’ll Be Scary Sometimes"?

3. Who are the people described in "The Almost Friends"?

4. How is the unfolding Civil Rights Movement described in the poem "South Carolina at War"?

5. How is Odell described in the poem "Uncle Odell"? Who was named for Odell?

6. How does the author describe her siblings in the poems "The Reader" and "Hope" from Part 1?

7. What was Gunnar Irby's profession? What struggles did he face in his job?

8. What story is related from Grandma Georgiana's perspective in "Other People’s Memory"?

9. How is "Daywork" described in the poem with the same name? Who took on daywork to support Jackie and her siblings when they were growing up?

10. How is the Woodsons' lineage described in "The Woodsons of Ohio"?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss South Carolina’s history of Slavery and the “trainings” and oppressions during the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s. What do “trainings” refer to? How did the trainings originate? How accurate is Gunnar’s explanation of the social unrest in South Carolina and the emerging Civil Rights Movement?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the significance of the names in Jackie’s family as demonstrated in “Family Names.” Why did Gunnar’s family have unusual names? How did Grandma Georgiana’s family differ? What is the significance of Jackie's name and those of her siblings?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the theme of ancestry and its importance in the narrative. How is Jacqueline Woodson influenced by her family’s ancestry and past? Why do you think ancestry is important?

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