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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. Where did Bryson's mother move after her husband died?

2. What were Bryson's favorite books?

3. Which friend got Bryson into the strippers' tent?

4. What was the coldest part of Bryson's grandparents' house?

5. What happened to the Thunderbolt Kid's sacred jersey?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe the Audio Visual Club and why the boys were anxious to join.

2. Who was Dewey and how did he impact Bryson's job?

3. Where did Bryson's grandparents live and what did he love about the place?

4. What did Bryson learn about his parents that pleased him and how did this change his views of his real parentage?

5. What was the irony of sending Bryson to the cloakroom as a punishment?

6. How did the Bryson family end up staying in a hotel in Harlem?

7. Describe the events surrounding Bryson's finally getting into the strippers' tent at the state fair.

8. Describe Riverview Amusement Park and why Bryson thought it was so awful.

9. What did Bryson buy with his newspaper route money and what other interest did he develop at this time?

10. What did Bryson usually do when he spent time at his grandparents' home?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Bryson is a master at dramatic devices. Choose an example of symbolism, metaphors, and irony, briefly describe them, and identify the technique which they embody.

Essay Topic 2

Bryson is masterful at crafting literary descriptions for his readers. Choose a paragraph from the book which you find especially descriptive. How do you think Bryson was able to craft it the way he did? What is so appealing to you about the passage? Explain.

Essay Topic 3

One of the most striking characteristics of Bryson's writing is his complete honesty. Explain why this is necessary to complete a book of this nature. Would a reader be able to see through fabrications and falsehoods in a book like this? Describe why this format is the perfect for Bryson's personality.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,080 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample