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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. Who was Betty's "brainy" older brother?

2. What would Betty say when she saw a homeless person at a Wichita intersection?

3. What did Smarsh say in Chapter 5 that most people associate poverty with?

4. Which ex-husband of Betty's did Jeannie remember as a "belt-snapper?"

5. What car did Nick sometimes drive Smarsh and her brother to school in?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why did Betty leave Ray, Jeannie's father?

2. What happens that leads to Nick losing his house in Part IV?

3. Why was school so much better for Smarsh in Wichita than it had been at her old school?

4. Why were Smarsh and her brother embarrassed when their father drove them to school in Part III?

5. In Part IV, what does the maroon wall symbolize for Jeannie?

6. In Part III, what is Smarsh's stepmother Chris like?

7. What were some of the government assistance programs Smarsh and her brother benefitted from as children?

8. What did the family of Vietnamese immigrants do to express their gratitude for Jeannie's help getting them their house?

9. How does Smarsh win an essay contest in fifth grade in Part III?

10. What was one reason Bob found it fairly easy to get full custody of his and Betty's son in Part IV?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

In Chapter 5, on page 200, Smarsh's father Nick tells her a parable about a hard-working carpenter who intentionally does a shoddy job on a house for the first time in his life, only to have his supervisor hand him the keys to the house as a reward for his years of hard work. Write an essay exploring the meaning of this story as it relates specifically to Smarsh's family's situation and outlook on work, poverty, and opportunity.

Essay Topic 2

Smarsh details many hardships related to the type of work her family members - both male and female - performed over the years. Write an essay analyzing the relationships between work, poverty, rural life, and bodily harm as Smarsh explains them, citing specific references to the text to help support your answers.

Essay Topic 3

How does going away to college change Smarsh's relationship with her family and of their perceptions of her? Write an essay explaining your answers, citing specific references to the text to help support your conclusions.

(see the answer keys)

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