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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 does Mary Ann flick at Bull with her spoon?

2. What song do the Meecham children make fun of behind Bull's back?

3. What does Lillian give Ben on his birthday?

4. What is the name of the Meecham family dog?

5. Who is Red Pettus?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why do both the Meecham children's mother and grandmother plead with the children to behave on the road trip to South Carolina?

2. Why does a Naval officer threaten to file a conduct report against Bull?

3. Who comes to Ben's aid after school when Red and his brothers attack him?

4. Why does Bull play war games with his children?

5. What does Mary Anne throw at Bull?

6. Who is Toomer? Why does Ben believe his mother encouraged him to go fishing with Toomer?

7. Why does Bull sign his children up for Catechism classes?

8. What does Bull's behavior at Hobie's say about his personality?

9. On the first day of school, who goads Ben into fighting with Red Pettus? Why?

10. Bull gives a speech to the officers in his new squad. What does Bull tell them?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Why does Bull's plane go down? Why does Bull not bail out? What does this decision say about Bull's personality? Does this decision change the reader's opinion of Bull or does it confirm what the reader has already known about Bull? Does this action change how Bull's family feels about him? How does the public react to Bull's actions? How does this heroic act make Bull's family feel about him? Can the family reconcile this man with the man they knew?

Essay Topic 2

Who is Toomer? What impact does Toomer have on Ben's life? Why? hat does Toomer do for Ben that Bull cannot? Why can Bull not be the father for Ben that he needs? Why can Toomer provide these missing things for Ben? What does Toomer's presence in Ben's life say about his relationship with Bull?

Essay Topic 3

Who is Red Pettus? Why is Red cruel to others? Who does Red chose to pick on? Why? Does Red pick on Ben? Why or why not?

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