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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. In Chapter 23, what is Joan wearing when she hears the phone ring?

2. In Chapter 21, how long does Joan have to apply to the school Professor Mason wants her to apply to?

3. In Chapter 14, what type of dress is Della making for Mrs. Finley?

4. What color did Miriam and August wear to Derek's trial?

5. When do people leave food in Chapter 24?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Mya react when the World Trade Center towers fell and the Pentagon was attacked?

2. Who calls in Chapter 23, and what decision is made after the call?

3. How long has Miss Dawn known August?

4. What was Derek's trial like?

5. In Chapter 22, how does Miriam hear about the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon?

6. What does Della do for a living, and what type of job does she do?

7. Why does Miriam want Joan to be a doctor?

8. Why does August want the children walked to school by armed gun members in Chapter 15?

9. What shop is a staple in the North Memphis neighborhood where Hazel lives?

10. What role does Hazel play in her mother's business?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

An allusion is a figure of speech that does not directly refer to a person, place, or thing. What are some allusions in Memphis: A Novel? Why might it be difficult to decipher an allusion just by the context of a passage in a book? How do the allusions Stringfellow uses help readers’ understanding of characters or concepts?

Essay Topic 2

Mood is an element that authors use to evoke feelings in readers through the use of descriptive language. Mood is the overall feeling that readers have when reading a story. What is the overall mood of Memphis: A Novel?

Essay Topic 3

Joan’s mother does not want her to become an artist. What career does Joan want to pursue? How does her desire to become an artist affect her relationship with her mother? How do they come to an understanding?

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