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. When did Vance's grandparents leave Jackson, Kentucky to move north?

2. In 1970, what percent of white children lived in a neighborhood with poverty rates above ten percent, according to Vance in Chapter 4?

3. Who is the Middletown High School teacher who works with at-risk youth in Middletown and is quoted by Vance in Chapter 4?

4. Who was the teacher for the honors Advanced Math class that Vance tested into in his junior year?

5. Where did Vance's mother go for drug addiction rehab after Papaw's death?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Vance describe his experiences while living with his mother and Ken in Chapter 8?

2. What led to the migration of hillbillies from Appalachia to the Rust Belt?

3. Why did Lindsay feel guilting for taking advantage of Papaw after his death?

4. What factors led to the lack of ambition in the residents of Middletown, according to Vance in Chapter 4?

5. Why was Lindsay devastated after meeting with the modeling scout in Chapter 6?

6. How did Vance's mother respond when he refused to move in with her and Matt?

7. How did Vance feel about participating with his mother in her rehabilitative activities after Papaw's death?

8. How did Vance's life change once he moved in to live solely with Mamaw during his teenage years?

9. How does Vance describe his experiences and observations while working at Dillman's grocery store?

10. What does "family loyalty" mean to Vance?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

How does Vance describe his relationship with his biological father in the memoir? When did his father abandon Vance? When did he come back into Vance's life? How did Vance's father influence him?

Essay Topic 2

How was Vance's mother's addiction to drugs discovered? What was done in terms of helping her seek treatment? How did Vance participate in helping his mother with her treatment?

Essay Topic 3

How does Vance describe the events and circumstances leading up to his mother's separation from Bob? Where did Vance go to live with his mother and Bob? How did he respond to this transition?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 798 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample