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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. To what does Nemyng attribute the spread of vice in Europe?

2. On the average, how many tracts did each person accept when they were being handed out?

3. What happened to the young girl lured from home?

4. How are Irish families described by Mayhew?

5. Who is the author of the section on Suppression of Vice and Crime?

Short Essay Questions

1. What was describe that was similar to modern crack houses, what were they like? What happened to the girl the author wrote about who was lured from home?

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

3. How many prostitutes were there in London?

4. How are the various ways to earn a living cataloged and what types of workers existed in England?

5. What was the difference between a conductor and other street people?

6. Who did Halliday say were swindlers?

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

8. What did the London City Mission do?

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

10. What was the purpose of the mission?

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

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 the position.

1. Discuss this magician's story in terms of the rag to riches stories which were prevalent in America in this era. (This answer may require some research). Use examples from the text and your own life to support your answer.

2. Do you think this magician's story seems to suggest that anyone of the London poor could do better if they would just work at it? Why or why not? Use examples from the text and your own life to support your answer.

3. What might people in dire straits in modern America learn from this story? Use examples from the text and your own life to support your answer.

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the following:

1. What do you think is Mayhew's agenda for this book? Use examples from the text and your own life to support your answer.

2. Do you think Mayhew's research methods were valid? Why or why not? Use examples from the text and your own life to support your answer.

3. What do you think Mayhew could have done to produce a better book? Use examples from the text and your own life to support your answer.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,103 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample