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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 want desperately to talk to Mr. Spiro about in Chapter 16?

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

3. Where does Little Man realize he left his newspaper bags in Chapter 10?

4. Where have Little Man's parents gone for a business meeting and vacation in Chapter 9?

5. Who does Little Man think beat Mam when she returns to work with a broken nose?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why is baseball practice called off in Chapter 13? What does Little Man do instead?

2. Where have Little Man's parents gone in Chapter 11? Who cares for Little Man while they are away?

3. What conflict takes place between Mam and a boy at the zoo in Chapter 12? How is the conflict resolved?

4. Why does Little Man disobey Mam in Chapter 16? What does he do to disobey her?

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

6. What discovery does Little Man make about TV Boy in Chapter 14?

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

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

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

10. How does Mam demonstrate courage in Chapter 16?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the narrative style of Paperboy. From whose perspective is the story related? Why do you think the author chose to employ this narrative style? How would the story differ if it were related from a different perspective?

Essay Topic 2

Analyze and discuss the character of Ara T. What role does Ara T play in the narrative (protagonist, antagonist, etc.)? Where is Ara T from? What is his relationship to Little Man?

Essay Topic 3

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?

(see the answer keys)

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