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This test consists of 5 multiple choice questions, 5 short answer questions, and 10 short essay questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What is the relationship between Gus and Memo?
(a) She has not relationship with him at all.
(b) She is in love and plans to marry him.
(c) She says he is like a father to her.
(d) She hates him.

2. What happens to Roy after Bump gets injured and dies?
(a) He is accused of manslaughter.
(b) He is thrown off the team.
(c) He is rejected by his teammates who all liked Bump.
(d) He inherits Bump's position and starts setting records.

3. How does Memo Paris react when Bump dies?
(a) She sympathizes with Roy, but doesn't really feel anything about Bump.
(b) She is glad Bump is gone so Roy could become the team leader.
(c) She is sad for her uncle, Pop, as he misses Bump so much.
(d) She hides in her hotel room, grieving.

4. What does Roy promise his fans?
(a) To take care of Memo and treat her well.
(b) To stay with the team at least five years.
(c) To become the best ball player ever.
(d) To use his money wisely if he gets a raise.

5. Why does Memo ride in the night with Roy without using headlights?
(a) They need to conserve the car battery.
(b) They are trying to escape without being noticed.
(c) She hates the light and loves darkness.
(d) She didn't know he had the lights off.

Short Answer Questions

1. What mistake did Pop make that Red tells Roy about?

2. What happens to Roy because of Doc Knobb's help?

3. Roy consistently reaches out for love. Who does he reach out to in the slump before the game in which he pitches?

4. How does Roy feel about The Judge wanting to push Pop out of his job?

5. What does Memo's reaction to Bump's death tell the reader, given her lack of relationship with him?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Roy feel about Iris after he meets her in person. Why does he feel this way?

2. Explain the term "fair weather fan" and how the term relates to the novel.

3. What reason did Iris give for standing up in the stands and cheering for Roy?

4. How did Roy feel about accepting The Judge's offer and what did he do?

5. Why does Roy have doubts about playing with the Knights when he has longed for fifteen years to play with them? What about his dream changes when he meets the team?

6. When a man comes to Roy and asks him to hit a home run for his sick child, what is Roy's reaction and what does he tell the man?

7. Discuss the irony that Malamud uses in naming the characters Goodwill Banner and Max Mercy.

8. When Roy is in Memo's motel room, and she is talking about Gus, what does say about their relationship? Explain what the true nature of that relationship is.

9. What does Iris tell Roy when he says his life has been a series of disappointments?

10. How does Roy respond when the fans begin supporting him during the Knights' wins, after having rejected him all through his slump? How does his reaction change?

(see the answer keys)

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