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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. In "Cowboy's Gifts," what does Ha like the cowboy to bring as a gift?

2. What does the man always wear who sponsors Ha and her family?

3. How many new words does Miss Washington make Ha learn daily?

4. What color are the chairs in the house Ha and her family move to after living with the cowboy?

5. What grade does Ha have to repeat in America?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is it like for Ha and her family at the cowboy's house?

2. Why does Ha feel dumb at school?

3. How does Mother get some privacy for her own thoughts?

4. How does Vu keep busy?

5. What happens when Mr. Johnston takes Ha and her family to meet the neighbors?

6. How do girls at school try to do Ha's hair?

7. What does the cowboy think will help Ha and her family get along better with the neighbors?

8. What is lunch like for Ha on her first day of school?

9. What type of furniture is the house furnished with that the cowboy rents for Ha and her family, and why does it bother Ha?

10. What does Ha hear from her mother in the night and what does Ha realize?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Saigon fell to the Communists. How does Ha’s family escape from Saigon, and why is their journey so dangerous?

Essay Topic 2

What a reader knows about events and characters is determined by the point of view in a book. What is the point of view in Inside Out & Back Again? How does the point of view influence what readers know about events and characters? How does it help readers connect with and understand characters, especially Ha?

Essay Topic 3

Metaphors and similes are figures of speech that are used to make comparisons between things. Metaphors seem to imply an equal comparison, while similes seem to imply a similarity between two things. Does Lai use more metaphors or similes in Inside Out & Back Again? How does the use of metaphors or similes help readers comprehend concepts or imagine characters and situations?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 938 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample