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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. How is John attired when he first arrives at the plantation in Chapter 3?
(a) He is nude.
(b) He is wearing a cape.
(c) He is wearing a night gown.
(d) He is wearing canvas pants.

2. What word used in Chapter 3 refers to the process of preparing corn for eating?
(a) Spindling.
(b) Shucking.
(c) Parboiling.
(d) Relegating.

3. What refers to the laws in each U.S. state which defined the status of slaves and the rights of masters?
(a) Penance practices.
(b) Abolition laws.
(c) Slave codes.
(d) Masterly rules.

4. What kind of coin does Sarny describe finding in the dirt in Chapter 2?
(a) A dime.
(b) A nickel.
(c) A quarter.
(d) A penny.

5. What is foreshadowed by Sarny's story about finding the coin in the dirt in Chapter 2?
(a) Sarny's education.
(b) Sarny's death.
(c) Sarny's marriage.
(d) Sarny's eventual wealth.

Short Answer Questions

1. What kind of flowers is Sarny working on in the flower bed in the beginning of Chapter 2?

2. What is the name of Mrs. Waller's sister?

3. In whose memory is Nightjohn dedicated by the author in the opening pages?

4. How many miles does John say they run him in his first day in Chapter 3?

5. What word from Chapter 3 refers to a ring or fastening of iron or wood used for securing the wrist, ankle, etc.?

Short Essay Questions

1. How is John's appearance described when he first arrives at the plantation in Chapter 3?

2. How is Sarny's birth and early childhood described in Chapter 1? Are Sarny's experiences common for slaves at this time?

3. How does Sarny describe the process of meals for the slaves at the plantation in Chapter 3?

4. What is significant about the animal imagery that is seen in Chapter 3?

5. What intrigues and inspires Sarny to want to learn to read and write? What risks does she take in doing so?

6. What work is Sarny doing on the plantation in the beginning of Chapter 2? How does she feel about this chore?

7. How would you describe the dialect and language style established in Chapter 1?

8. What job or jobs does Sarny do around the plantation in Chapter 1?

9. What does Sarny overhear from the white house while she works in Chapter 2?

10. How does John behave toward the other slaves after his arrival in Chapter 3?

(see the answer keys)

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