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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. How much younger than Russell is Doris?

2. Who is Russell's Irish bully?

3. The streetwise girl lured Russell into her basement with promises of what?

4. Who offers Lucy Elizabeth a home until she can get back on her feet?

5. What is the only area of education that Lucy Elizabeth does not teach Russell?

Short Essay Questions

1. Who is Oluf?

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

3. What ghost did Ida Rebecca once claim to see?

4. How does Lucy punish Russell when he misbehaves?

5. How does the author describe his mother's attitude toward men?

6. What has happened to Russell's mother?

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

8. Why don't Hal and Charlie get along?

9. To whom does Lucy "give up" Audrey?

10. When does Russell decide to become a writer?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

In the work, Russell states that talk was the pastime of the Depression. How is this illustrated in the novel? What memories does Russell have of those times? Does Russell realize that the family is poor, or is he completely oblivious? How does the home in Belleville with Aunt Pat, Uncle Allen, etc. illustrate this point?

Essay Topic 2

Russell and Doris spend much of their childhood with Uncle Allen and Aunt Pat. Why does the family move in with them? Are they happy to have their relatives come? Why or why not? Why does Russell view them as an odd couple? What does Russell learn from Aunt Pat and Uncle Allen? What does Russell learn from Uncle Charlie and Uncle Hal?

Essay Topic 3

Reexamine Chapter 9. How could the Dickens quote "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times" be applicable to the family's life? Be sure to think about:

1) Money

2) Home

3) Happiness

4) Work

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 540 words (approx. 2 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample