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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 is Leigh’s mother’s name?

2. Leigh says in his December 4 letter to Mr. Henshaw, “When you answered my questions, you said the way to get to be an author was to” what?

3. What is Leigh’s mother studying at the community college?

4. Where does Leigh say his dad phoned him from in Oregon in his January 8 diary entry?

5. Why does Leigh say he can’t complain to the teacher about someone stealing from his lunch bag in his first diary entry from December 22?

Short Essay Questions

1. What new writing exercise does Leigh try out in his diary on January 10? Why?

2. What question does Leigh respond to in his November 24 letter? How does he respond?

3. What ploy does Leigh develop to thwart the lunch bag robber after the Christmas holidays? Is he successful?

4. What does Leigh write about in his diary over the Christmas holidays (December 24-25)?

5. What does Leigh write about in his December 12 letter to Mr. Henshaw? Where did Leigh receive a postcard from?

6. What advice has Leigh taken from Mr. Henshaw in his December 13 letter? What further advice does he ask for?

7. On December 1, Leigh answers the final questions sent by Mr. Henshaw. How does he respond to “What do you wish?”

8. What is related of Mr. Henshaw’s advice to Leigh in Leigh’s letter from December 21?

9. What books are discussed in Leigh’s letters to Mr. Henshaw on October 2 and November 2 in the beginning of the book?

10. What does Leigh say about Mr. Henshaw’s questions in his letter from November 16?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Describe and discuss Leigh’s memories of last Christmas as depicted in his diary entries from December 23-25. What does Leigh recall doing with his parents during Christmas dinner? What did they eat? Are Leigh’s memories happy?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss Leigh’s feelings about Mr. Henshaw’s questions in his response letter. Why was Leigh mad about the questions? Why is his mother making him answer them? Do you agree with his mother’s demands? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the theme of disappointment in Dear Mr. Henshaw. How is this theme illustrated through Leigh’s relationship with his father? How else in the story does the author illustrate this theme? What symbolism does the author use to support this theme?

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