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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 Russell's mother's nickname for him?

2. When does Russell's mother decide he should be a writer?

3. When Uncle Hal arrives, what does he have in tow?

4. Why did Lucy Elizabeth feel jealous of Aunt Goldie?

5. What happens to Benjamin after he has been drinking?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Lucy punish Russell when he misbehaves?

2. In Belleville, what does Aunt Pat do to protest the landlady's Herbert Hoover poster?

3. How does Lucy Elizabeth meet Benjamin?

4. Since he is unable to talk with his ailing mother, what does Russell realize about the past?

5. What is Lucy Elizabeth's greatest wish for Russell, and how does she help him strive for his goals?

6. What remedy does Aunt Pat insist is good for the children, but they find disgusting?

7. What is the cause of Benny's death?

8. Where does the family move after Morrisonville?

9. Where has Russell and his family gone to celebrate the hog-butchering season?

10. What is Russell's earliest memory?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

For most of Russell's life, Lucy has been his ultimate teacher. What happened to their relationship when he begins to surpass her education? Examine the subtleties between mother and son, including the Latin translation incident. What is young Russell trying to prove to his mother? Does Lucy recognize Russell's behavior? Explain your answer.

Essay Topic 2

Discuss Lucy's obsession with "a home of our own." Is this her ultimate goal? How does she work toward this goal? Choose three instances from the text to illustrate Lucy's desire for a home of their own. How does she finally achieve this goal? How does her achievement affect Russell's life?

Essay Topic 3

What is the style of this work? What elements does the author blend together? What is the end result? How does the author make the adolescent and childhood experiences translate into meaningful reading for adults? Do you enjoy reading nonfiction and biographical works? Why or why not? Did you enjoy reading this book? Explain.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 654 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample