View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. To what brotherhood did Grandfather George belong?

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

3. What is Russell's first Christmas gift?

4. What major travel institution was located in Brunswick?

5. While his bully was Irish, Russell's friends were ______.

Short Essay Questions

1. Why has Uncle Charlie chosen never to leave the house?

2. When does Russell decide to become a writer?

3. How does Russell learn about the birds and the bees?

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

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

6. How does Lucy Elizabeth meet Benjamin?

7. What are some of the reasons Ida Rebecca dislikes Lucy Elizabeth?

8. Who is Oluf?

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

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

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

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 2

Create a character profile of Mimi. Include:

1) What is her background?

2) How does she meet Russell?

3) Why do she and Russell have such a turbulent relationship?

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 601 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample