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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 does Mr. Yalowitz seat Zinkoff?

2. How does Zinkoff feel when someone says his hat is theirs?

3. Where does Mr. Zinkoff take his son on Sunday?

4. What does Zinkoff create while he is home from school?

5. How does Zinkoff feel about the button given to him by Miss Meeks?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Mrs. Zinkoff call her husband's car, and why?

2. How is the narration of the first chapter different from the rest of the book?

3. What special gift does Zinkoff make for Andrew?

4. What does Zinkoff play in orchestra, and why?

5. What does the narrator say happens when boys get together?

6. What is unusual about Zinkoff's first time leaving his home alone?

7. Why does Zinkoff throw up often?

8. How is Mr. Yalowitz different from all the other teachers Zinkoff has had?

9. What does the narrator say the children do not notice about Zinkoff at a young age?

10. Why is Andrew sulking when his new neighbors come to visit?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

This book takes place in a few different settings. Describe some of these settings and how they affected the course of the plot. Why might Jerry Spinelli have chosen these particular places for this plot to take place?

Essay Topic 2

The theme of special needs children was central to this plot. How did this theme affect the main characters, and why do you think this was such an important theme for the author to present with this book?

Essay Topic 3

What kind of relationship did Zinkoff have with his family members, and how did that affect his actions?

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This section contains 618 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample