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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. When did Ma start to teach Billie Jo how to play the piano?
(a) During summer vacation
(b) On her fifth birthday
(c) On Christmas
(d) On her tenth birthday

2. What is in the pail that Ma grabs in the kitchen?
(a) Kerosene
(b) Oil
(c) Oats
(d) Water

3. Ma thinks they should try growing some crops that do better in dry weather like cotton or ______________.
(a) Alfalfa
(b) Soybeans
(c) Sorghum
(d) Corn

4. Why does Daddy get a different job?
(a) He wants an office job
(b) He needs insurance benefits
(c) The crop is not going to produce anything
(d) He is bored with farming

5. What do the girls at the show want to know about Mad Dog?
(a) Where he performs
(b) How he got his name
(c) Where he lives
(d) How old he is

Short Answer Questions

1. What happens when Billie Jo throws the pail outside?

2. What color is the dust storm that roars through the area?

3. What does Billie Jo wish she could buy at the store?

4. What does President Roosevelt encourage people to plant in the dust bowl?

5. How does dust get into the classroom?

Short Essay Questions

1. How do Billie Jo and Daddy interact now that Ma is gone?

2. What are the special rules about setting the table during the dust bowl era?

3. Who is Billie Jo? What does she like? Where does she live and who is her family?

4. How does Billie Jo earn money playing the piano?

5. Explain the accident that severely injures Ma and Billie Jo.

6. How does Mad Dog say he got his nickname? What is his real name?

7. What is Bille Jo's overall state of mind in Autumn 1934?

8. In addition to her love for music, what other force drives Billie Jo to have beautiful experiences?

9. Who is Livie?

10. Describe some of the grim scenarios that Billie Jo sees.

(see the answer keys)

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