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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 could the interest rate on stock reach?

2. What is an example of a mutual aid society?

3. What did a publisher who Mayhew knew do for the boy who talked to Mayhew?

4. Why did some of these low-end workers go into the business?

5. At about what age did many costermonger children begin to sell?

Short Essay Questions

1. What did bolder boys do with coal barges, how was this viewed and what could happen to the boys? How did the boys feel about jail?

2. How did Jewish traders survive in London and how does Mayhew portray the Jewish traders?

3. How did some youths work a crossing sweep job and what other ways did they make money?

4. How did dustmen and mudlarks help each other?

5. How much education did most costermongers have and what was the general extent of their intellectual abilities?

6. What types of generalizations did Mayhew make about the London street people and how did this reflect Victorian thinking on industrialization?

7. What area of trade did the Jewish traders dominant and what did Ragmen do?

8. What was the usual marriage and family situations like with costermongers?

9. What was the story Mayhew wrote about a Cheap Jack?

10. Who were generally managers of lodging houses and what happened to a child who did not have the money for lodging?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Most costermongers were uneducated, and had attended the free public schools only for a few years, or not at all. Although costers were adept at adding and subtracting to figure their profits, they were ignorant of multiplication and very few could read or write.

1. Discuss how lack of education contributes to poverty. Use examples from the text and your own life to support your answer.

2. Discuss some of the reasons that might keep a child of a costermonger family from attending free public schools. Use examples from the text and your own life to support your answer.

3. Taking into consideration the factors of poverty, should the government of London in this era have made school mandatory? Why or why not? Use examples from the text and your own life to support your answer.

Essay Topic 2

The London City Mission was a group of missionaries of various denominations paid to go door-to-door and read scripture, try to convert residents to Christianity and to encourage residents, especially the poor, to attend church. From 1.8 million home visits 307 poor people attending church for the first time, 3,500 being baptized and 48 persons who were living in sin deciding to marry their partners.

1. Do you think the results the London City Mission had was very poor considering the number of home visits that were done? Why or why not? Use examples from the text and your own life to support your answer.

2. What do you think the results of the London City Mission indicates about the poor in London at this time? Discuss the reasons in depth. Use examples from the text and your own life to support your answer.

3. Given the amount of time, work hours and effort the London City Mission put into their efforts what do you think they could have done for the poor of London with the same resources that might have helped the people? Do you think they should have done that? Why or why not? Use examples from the text and your own life to support your answer.

Essay Topic 3

One magician worked as an errand boy for four years until at 14 he began to sell oranges outside a theater. From there he went to selling beer inside the theater, to being an extra on stage, to acting at the age of 15. After the show closed, he worked as the doorkeeper until the owner mentioned an opening for a magician. With no knowledge, skill or experience, he volunteered for this position.

1. Discuss the strengths this magician would have had to have worked into the position of magician. Use examples from the text and your own life to support your answer.

2. In reading of this magician's life do you think perseverance or talent was more important? Why? Use examples from the text and your own life to support your answer.

3. In view of the versatility this magician demonstrated in his variety of jobs do you think it is possible Mayhew underestimated the will and intelligence of many of the London street people? Why or why not? Use examples from the text and your own life to support your answer.

(see the answer keys)

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