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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. Why did Mamaw encourage Vance to learn to play golf?

2. Where did Papaw install a secret phone line for Vance and his sister so that they could call Mamaw and Papaw when they needed to?

3. Who were the two people who Vance gave the ACE quiz to that scored a zero?

4. What color eyes does Vance describe himself as having in Chapter 14?

5. Where did Vance have lunch with his sister Lindsay on the day of his orientation at Ohio State?

Short Essay Questions

1. Who is Amy Chua and how did she assist Vance in his career goals?

2. Who is Brian and why does Vance discuss him in the Conclusion?

3. Where did Vance intend to attend college after graduating high school? Why?

4. What does "learned helplessness" mean and how does Vance address it in Hillbilly Elegy?

5. How does Vance describe his own family's Christmas celebrations in his Conclusion?

6. How does Vance perceive American politics in regards to how they are judged in poor communities in his Conclusion?

7. Why was Vance drawn to attending Yale Law School? What aspects of the program appealed to him?

8. How did Mamaw feel about Vance's decision to join the Marine Corps? Why?

9. What dream does describe in the Conclusion?

10. How does Vance describe the difficulties of upward mobility in Chapter 12?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

How does Vance describe Papaw's death in the memoir? How was Papaw's death discovered? How did the family respond to his death? In what ways did Papaw's death impact Vance?

Essay Topic 2

Why was education so highly valued by Mamaw and Papaw? Why did they not encourage their children and grandchildren to pursue blue-collar careers? How did this influence impact Vance and Mamaw and Papaw's children?

Essay Topic 3

Describe the region known as Appalachia and its residents and culture. How large is this region? What is the economy of the region like? How does Vance describe the "hillbillies" of this region?

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