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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. What does Little Man ask Mam on their bus ride home from church in Chapter 11?

2. What does Little Man observe Mam doing for the first time when they are riding the bus in the end of Chapter 16?

3. Who got Little Man out of the storm drain last summer when he became trapped?

4. At what time does Little Man return home after his collections before returning to Mr. Spiro's house in the beginning of Chapter 16?

5. What has Mr. Spiro propped his front door open with when Little Man comes by for his collection in Chapter 15?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does Little Man go home before taking his collections to Rat's mom in Chapter 16? What does he find when he gets there?

2. How does Mam respond to the situation in Little Man's bedroom in Chapter 16?

3. What conflict does Little Man face at Ara T's hideout in Chapter 10?

4. Why does Little Man have to lie in order to get the photographer to take a picture of him and Mam at the zoo? What does Little Man tell the photo booth operator?

5. What conflict occurs when Little Man goes to pick up his newspapers for the day in Chapter 13? How is the conflict resolved?

6. What can be discerned by the fact that no one comments on Mam's appearance at church in Chapter 11?

7. How is the setting of the zoo described in Chapter 12? What are Little Man's impressions of this setting?

8. What does Little Man ask Mam as they ride the bus home from church in Chapter 11? Why is this question significant?

9. What is noteworthy about Mam's appearance when she returns to work in Chapter 9?

10. Why do you think Mam allows Little Man to accompany her at the end of Chapter 16?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the themes of friendship and connection in Paperboy. With whom is Little Man friends in the beginning of the story? Whom does he befriend on his paper route? How does Little Man's sense of connection change in the course of the narrative?

Essay Topic 2

Describe and discuss the character of Mrs. Worthington in the novel. How old is Mrs. Worthington? What are Little Man's impressions of this character? How does Mrs. Worthington change in the course of the story?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the character of Mam in the novel. How would you describe Little Man's relationship with Mam? What characteristics does Mam exhibit? What are Mam's central objectives in the story?

(see the answer keys)

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