View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What movie does Little Man go to see with his father in Chapter 8?

2. On what day of the week is Little Man to pick up payments on his newspaper route?

3. What is Mrs. Worthington drinking when she and Little Man have a miscommunication in Chapter 2?

4. Who is Rat going to visit while Little Man takes over his newspaper route?

5. What children's television show does Little Man describe watching in Chapter 4?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why have Little Man's parents decided to take Little Man to a restaurant to eat in Chapter 7? How does he feel about this proposition?

2. What is foreshadowed by Little Man's observance of Big Sack watching him from the alley in Chapter 8?

3. What does Little Man overhear his parents talking about after coming home from the restaurant in Chapter 7? What does he make of this conversation?

4. What does Little Man confess to Mam in Chapter 6? How does Mam respond?

5. Why does Little Man refuse Mam's offer for help with his collections for the newspaper route?

6. What are Little Man's first impressions of Mr. Spiro? How is Mr. Spiro described?

7. How is Little Man's experience at the restaurant described in Chapter 7?

8. What do Little Man and Mr. Spiro discuss during Little Man's visit in Chapter 8?

9. What is Rat's real name? What is Rat's relationship to Little Man?

10. What role does Mam serve in Little Man's life? How would you describe the relationship between Mam and Little Man?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

What are Mam's actions, objectives, and obstacles when she sets out from Little Man's home after discovering the theft from his bedroom? What instructions does she give to Little Man? Why?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss Little Man's relationship with his father in the novel. What information does Little Man learn that makes him question his father? How is this internal conflict resolved?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the theme of racism and racial segregation in Paperboy. How is this theme developed through character and setting? What events in the story are directly tied to the themes of racism and racial segregation?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 975 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample