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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 were fences in the section by John Binny?

2. How many civil servants does he cite?

3. What group did the magician join to get away from home?

4. How many paupers, prisoners and lunatics does he cite?

5. What does the author say happens to a young girl lured away from home?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why was the clown Mayhew interviewed depressed and why was he a clown?

2. How prevalent was theft, where did it often occur and how did a thief make money on stolen goods?

3. How many visits were done by the London City Mission and what were the results of those visits?

4. What was the photographer's business like according to Mayhew?

5. What was the purpose of the mission?

6. What did bus drivers own, what did they do and what other work had many of them done? How often did they work and what did their work prevent?

7. What was an example of a male prostitute the author gave?

8. How did the fire eater Mayhew interviewed become one and what was his early life like?

9. How many prostitutes were there in London?

10. Who was the magician Mayhew interviewed and how did he become a magician?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Due to competition, the photographer had to offer portraits for a half-penny, an impossibly low price. To bolster earnings, he either lured people into buying a more expensive photo, or sold them bogus products like a "Patent American Air Preserver" that was actually just scrap paper.

1. After reading this photographer's story would you consider him to be of low moral character? Why or why not? Use examples from the text and your own life to support your answer.

2. Explain why this photographer's actions demonstrates the validity of the cliche: buyer beware. Use examples from the text and your own life to support your answer.

3. Do you believe it is the responsibility of the seller of a goods to make certain the goods are worth the selling price or it is the responsibility of the buyer to decide that? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 2

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.

Essay Topic 3

The city of London used 3.5 million tons of coal each year and generated millions of tons of ash and soot. Dustmen were hired to haul off the ashes and dust, as well as haul away garbage and keep the streets clean.

1. Do you think London at this time might have been more polluted than modern cities? Why or why not? Use examples from the text and your own life to support your answer.

2. Discuss how you think the quality of the air in London in this era might have affected people's lives. Use examples from the text and your own life to support your answer.

3. Discuss, in depth, the ways in which a dustman's life and health would have been affected by the job. Use examples from the text and your own life to support your answer.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,258 words (approx. 5 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample