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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 does Grant apologize for?

2. How long until this person in #28 can visit Jefferson?

3. Where is the courthouse located?

4. Who is the fellow teacher with whom Grant is having an affair?

5. What are the two men discussing with Joe Claiborne?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Grant urge Jefferson to do in order to make liars of the white bigots?

2. What does Reverend Ambrose tell Grant he must tell Jefferson?

3. Grant has a theory about why he feels he has left some of his anger behind. What is his theory?

4. When Vivian surprises Grant at his home, he is embarrassed by the house, but Vivian calls it peaceful How does Grant describe his home?

5. When Jefferson writes about Samson, what is the question that springs into his mind?

6. When Miss Emma asks Tante Lou why God hates her, what does Reverend Ambrose tell Miss Emma?

7. Jefferson tells Sam Guindry that he will meet Tante Lou, Miss Emma and Reverend Ambrose in which room?

8. What does Grant think about heaven and what happens after you die?

9. Who is the narrator of the story, revealed in the second chapter?

10. Who makes an annual visit to the school to inspect Grant's classroom?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Jefferson's execution date is set after a long series of discussions about how the Catholics would like their Lenten and Easter season interrupted. What do you think would have happened if the date had been shared with the other execution? Do you think it would have mattered if the execution date was too close to Easter? Why do you think the author made this an issue of the story?

Essay Topic 2

The radio is a great source of joy for Jefferson and a source of contention among those who care about Jefferson. The radio is referred to as a 'distraction,' but why do you think this is the case? Doesn't it seem like the radio is something that Jefferson should enjoy? Why or why not? If you were one of the people that disliked the radio, what else would you suggest that he have in his cell to take its place?

Essay Topic 3

The truck that moves through the town with the electrocution chair makes everyone nervous in town. Do you think this path was taken purposefully to spread fear in the town? Why or why not? Who do you think the chair's presence is meant to scare more, blacks or whites? Why?

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