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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. Where does author J. D. Vance currently live?

2. In what war did Vance serve as a Marine?

3. What is Aunt Wee's real name?

4. How old is the kid Brian that Vance describes in the Conclusion?

5. How does Vance describe himself at Yale Law School?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why did Vance tell the woman at the gas station that his girlfriend attended Yale in Chapter 12?

2. What two events does Vance describe as being significant to him during his last two years of service in the Marines?

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

4. What are "adverse childhood experiences" and how does Vance define them in Chapter 14?

5. What relationship difficulties does Vance discuss in Chapter 14?

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

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

8. What paradox does Vance point out regarding the tuition for Yale Law School in Chapter 12?

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

10. What problems with the foster care system in the U.S. are discussed by Vance in Chapter 15?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

When did Vance's grandparents (Mamaw and Papaw) move to Ohio? What were the circumstances surrounding their move? Where did they settle in Ohio and why?

Essay Topic 2

How did Vance feel about his mother's boyfriend Matt? Why did Vance refuse to initially move in with his mother and Matt? How did she respond to his refusal?

Essay Topic 3

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?

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