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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. Who suggests taping a cardboard shelf in Leigh’s lunchbox so his sandwich won’t muffle the alarm?

2. What book does Leigh say he bought at a garage sale in his February 28 letter to Mr. Henshaw?

3. What does Leigh say about Barry’s sandwiches in his March 5 diary entry?

4. Leigh writes in his February 7 diary entry that he went to a grove where what kind of butterflies gather?

5. It becomes apparent in Leigh’s March 15 diary entry that he has gained a sense of what?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Leigh’s dad describe losing Bandit? Where was he when Bandit was lost?

2. What does Leigh relate about Mr. Henshaw’s new book in his January 12 letter?

3. Where does Leigh describe going on a walk in his diary entry from February 7?

4. What does Leigh reveal about Mr. Henshaw’s advice in his letter from February 28?

5. With what passionate line does Leigh begin his diary entry on February 4? What drives this passion?

6. What does Leigh tell Mr. Henshaw about the writing competition in his letter from January 19?

7. What exchange does Leigh describe between himself and Mr. Fridley in his February 6 diary entry?

8. What does Leigh relate to Mr. Henshaw about his diary in his letter from January 12?

9. How do Leigh’s diary entries change on February 6? What does Leigh relate in this entry?

10. What letter does Leigh describe receiving from his father in his diary entry on February 9? How does Leigh feel about the letter?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the characters and setting of Beggar Bears. Where previously in the novel did the author foreshadow the appearance of this book by Mr. Henshaw? How? What does Leigh think of the story? How does it compare with Mr. Henshaw’s other books?

Essay Topic 2

Define “dialogue” in literature. How is dialogue typically depicted in novels and short stories? How is dialogue depicted differently in plays and drama? How realistic is Leigh’s dialogue in his January 10 entry? Where else in the story does Leigh experiment with writing dialogue?

Essay Topic 3

Analyze and discuss the qualities and information revealed about Boyd Henshaw’s character based on Leigh’s replies from November 15 through November 23. What are Mr. Henshaw’s responses to Leigh’s questions? What do these responses say about Mr. Henshaw’s personality?

(see the answer keys)

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