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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 else does Cedar Lake have to offer for entertainment?

2. What is the name of the tavern owner?

3. The lady at the Automat had a button that read:

4. Hohman's weather is described as having:

5. Ralph describes his date as:

Short Essay Questions

1. What do we learn about Ralph by knowing he likes Red Ryder and the Little Orphan Annie radio show?

2. Why was the World's Fair so important to Ralph?

3. Ralph is told he will "shoot his eye out" by his mother, his teacher, and Santa. Explain why each is so devastating to his plans.

4. Why is Ralph's encounter with the woman at the Automat so important to the story?

5. What does Ralph believe exists inside every male child?

6. Who is Grover Dill, and what does he represent to Ralph?

7. Why is Ludlow Kissel infamous in Hohman?

8. What made Ralph's father's fireworks show so noteworthy one year?

9. Why is Cedar Lake special to Ralph and Flick?

10. Describe the setting in chapters 9 and 10 and why the author chose such vastly different settings.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Ralph has many theories about people that he shares throughout the book. One such theory is that people are put into two groups: Official People and The Rest of Us. Discuss Ralph's theory, and decide if he is correct or if there are faults with his theory. Use examples from the book.

Essay Topic 2

Compare and contrast Ralph and Wilbur Duckworth. What experiences do they share? What makes them different? What makes Ralph remember Duckworth with such clarity, so many years after they played in the marching band together? Define the term "social outcast" and how it relates to both Ralph and Wilbur. In what ways are they both social outcasts?

Essay Topic 3

What perceptions did you have about the Midwest before reading this book? Have any of those perceptions been changed? What makes the Midwest different from other parts of the country? What makes it the same? Why was the Midwest the setting for the book? How did it help develop the stories Ralph told?

(see the answer keys)

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