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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. Where do Sissie's brothers want to go?

2. What is the cause of a character's vomiting?

3. Which of the following details is provided about Jerry's appearance?

4. What is Jimmy's occupation?

5. What does Sissie do after seeing a character vomiting?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does the writer make the summer season very apparent in the text in Part 2?

2. After reading about Sissie's first summer experience at the tavern, what predictions can be made about the rest of the story?

3. How does Sissie compare herself to the boat she rides in? Why?

4. Describe Sissie's physical retreat in Part 3.

5. How does the writer demonstrate that Sissie's language has matured by the fourth part?

6. Describe Sissie, the narrator, as she is first introduced.

7. What sets Sissie apart from the other children in Part 1?

8. What does Sissie regret in her past?

9. What makes Sissie vulnerable?

10. Is Sissie an innocent character in the beginning of the story? Why or why not?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Analyze Sissie's development as a character. Describe her starting position in comparison to her ending position. How does she change physically? How do her emotions and beliefs change? Why?

Essay Topic 2

How do social issues play a role in "Four Summers"? Consider the hierarchy of women. Also, consider the roles of class and race.

Essay Topic 3

What is the central conflict in "Four Summers"? Is the conflict in the story physical or emotional? How does the reader know this?

(see the answer keys)

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