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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 does Mrs. Biswell not like?

2. What does Andrew call Zinkoff's neighborhood?

3. How far away is the school from Zinkoff's house?

4. How does Zinkoff describe the world when he is ready to go to school?

5. How long has Zinkoff's first teacher been teaching?

Short Essay Questions

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

2. Why are Zinkoff's differences suddenly noticed in the 4th grade?

3. How does Zinkoff react to his first soccer game?

4. What makes Zinkoff feel like the Waiting Man?

5. How does Zinkoff score his first goal in a soccer game?

6. When does the narrator say Zinkoff is most profoundly discovered?

7. How does Zinkoff describe his first day of school to his mother?

8. What is the Waiting Man waiting for?

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

10. Why does Zinkoff throw up often?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Miss Meeks and Mrs. Biswell are two very similar people, and yet they have some very notable and important differences. Using the text to cite some support and, write a compare/contrast essay about these two teachers.

Essay Topic 2

Diversity was a major theme in this book, as many different lifestyles and ranks in society were involved. How was this theme shown in this book, and why do you think the author felt it was so important?

Essay Topic 3

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?

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