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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. How did Jacqueline Woodson's family respond when she told them she wanted to be a writer the first time?

2. Why did Jacqueline Woodson relate to the character "Stevie" in "Stevie and Me"?

3. Where does the poet describe Grandma Georgiana sitting on the bus in "What Everybody Knows Now"?

4. Where did Uncle Robert promise to take Jackie and her siblings in the poem "Far Rockaway"?

5. Who wrote the short story "The Selfish Giant"?

Short Essay Questions

1. Where did Jacqueline Woodson's family move after the death of Aunt Kay? How is this setting described in "Moving Again"?

2. Who is described as sporting afros in the poem "Afros"? Why was Jackie not allowed to wear this hairstyle?

3. What does the poet describe thinking about as she eats breakfast in "Saturday Morning"?

4. Where does the author describe her family moving in Brooklyn in "Brooklyn, New York"? Why did they move?

5. Who attended church in Brooklyn with Jackie when she was growing up? How is the church described in the poem "Another Kingdom Hall"?

6. How does the author describe her aunt in the poem "Caroline But We Called Her Aunt Kay, Some Memories"?

7. How has the setting of Jackie's grandparents' home changed in "Daddy This Time"?

8. What does the poet describe Gunnar impressing upon her in "Daddy This Time"?

9. How does the author describe her family's reaction in "When I Tell My Family"? What does Jackie describe telling them?

10. How does the poet describe her learning methods in "Writing #2"?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Describe Jacqueline Woodson's siblings and discuss their relationships growing up. What were the age differences between Jackie and her siblings? With whom did Jackie feel the most rivalry growing up? Why?

Essay Topic 2

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?

Essay Topic 3

Brown Girl Dreaming is a memoir in verse. Define these terms (memoir and verse), and discuss how they apply to the narrative. Is the book fictional or nonfictional? Why do you think the author chose to relate her story through verse? How does this choice affect the reader?

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This section contains 815 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample