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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. How many of Grandpa Nye's children died?
(a) 3.
(b) 4.
(c) 1.
(d) 2.

2. Where did Vanessa's great-great-grandparents eventually settle?
(a) Quebec.
(b) Minnesota.
(c) Ireland.
(d) Maine.

3. What outward sign does Vanessa think Grandpa Nye's lawn signifies?
(a) He still has a good eye for detail.
(b) He is an artist at heart.
(c) He is different from everybody else.
(d) He needs some help around the house.

4. What was the message given to Vanessa's great-great-grandfather?
(a) Go to America.
(b) Become a minister.
(c) Become an architect.
(d) Open an orphanage.

5. How can Grandpa Nye's lawn be described?
(a) Manicured.
(b) Wild.
(c) Unpretentious.
(d) Small.

Short Answer Questions

1. What mood does Uncle Joab's poetry create in Vanessa?

2. What was Vanessa's great-great-grandfather's profession?

3. Who is the narrator of the story?

4. Grandpa Nye's mother's family can trace its roots to what country?

5. What did the boys put into the carved initials on their chests?

Short Essay Questions

1. What advice does Grandpa Nye give Vanessa about keeping company with rivers, lakes and books?

2. Where are Vanessa and her grandfather as he tells her more about her ancestors?

3. How do Vanessa and Lisa try to come to terms with the changes in their childhood home?

4. Why are Vanessa and Lisa uncomfortable in their parents' home?

5. What sort of ritual do Vanessa and Grandpa Nye engage in while thinking of Tecumseh?

6. How did Grandpa Nye's family happen to end up in Cincinnati?

7. Who is the protagonist of the story?

8. How does Grandpa Nye try to keep the family alive throughout the house?

9. What aspect of history has always intrigued Grandpa Nye?

10. How does Vanessa's view on life change with the onset of summer vacation?

(see the answer keys)

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