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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. What did Sammy and Helen fight over?

2. How long was Sammy in prison after his involvement with Jackie Milligan?

3. How do the police respond to Sammy's reaction to his lack of sight?

4. How does Sammy feel about Helen's absence?

5. After Sammy's first interview at the health center, how does he feel?

Short Essay Questions

1. While lying in a jail cell, Sammy reminisces about the deaths he has witnessed. What is odd about these memories?

2. When meeting with the second interviewer, what does Sammy choose to do when he gets frustrated with the system?

3. Why does Sammy confuse the group of police with tourists?

4. What are some examples of Sammy using optimism to deal with his blindness?

5. Who does Sammy think about while lying in his cell, unable to see?

6. Sammy suspects what has caused him to lose his eyesight?

7. What mood swings does Sammy experience after successfully setting a doctor's appointment?

8. Why did Sammy get caught during his first attempt at crime?

9. Who is Sammy afraid of when he reports his lack of vision at the welfare office?

10. Initially, Jackie Milligan approached Sammy to help him with what?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Write an essay examining Sammy's relationship with music.

Essay Topic 2

Fear plays a major role in "How Late it Was, How Late". Examine Sammy's relationship with fear, citing specific examples from the text.

Essay Topic 3

Starting at a young age, Sammy has been involved in the prison system and fears it. Write an essay supporting or refuting the following statement, citing examples from the text: Whether behind bars or not, Sammy's actions condemn him to a life in prison.

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This section contains 576 words (approx. 2 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample