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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. How does Ellie respond when her father asks about the boy from school?

2. Where had Jeremiah's parents met?

3. What about Jeremiah catches Ellie's eye?

4. As Jeremiah and his mother reminisce about his father’s mother, to what do Jeremiah’s thoughts wander?

5. How is Ellie affected by Marion’s leaving?

Short Essay Questions

1. How is racism revealed in Ellie's own home in this section (Chapters 6-10)?

2. Why does Anne call Ellie?

3. How do Jeremiah and his Brooklyn friends deal with racial issues?

4. How does Peter treat Jeremiah?

5. Why is it assumed Jeremiah is placed in the wrong history class?

6. How does Jeremiah reveal his intelligence in his first day in history class?

7. What is Carlton's response to Miah when asked about being biracial?

8. How does Ellie feel as she listens to the messages on the answering machine?

9. What kind of person is Jeremiah looking for?

10. What old routine do Ellie and her father discuss?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The relationship between parent and child is important to If You Come Softly. What is revealed about both parents and children? How does this affect the parent-child relationship? Is this universal? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 2

It is hinted throughout this book that it is a Romeo and Juliet story. How is If You Come Softly like "Romeo and Juliet?" How is it also different than "Romeo and Juliet?" What is the message of this tragic tale?

Essay Topic 3

Racism permeates the entire story and its characters. How is systemic racism a theme or central idea of If You Come Softly? How are many of the characters affected by it? How does it lead to the tragic ending of this story? What is the message the reader is to get regarding systemic racism?

(see the answer keys)

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