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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. Into which of Yanek's limbs do the Nazis at Birkenau tattoo Yanek's prisoner number, B-3087?

2. The "Sachsenhausen salute" involves torturing a prisoner by forcing him to remain in what type of position for hours at a time without moving?

3. What name do the prisoners at Birkenau bestow upon the camp storehouse that holds items stolen from Jewish prisoners?

4. In what year does Yanek arrive at the Auschwitz concentration camp?

5. For how many hours does Yanek remain inside the motionless cattle car while the other cars are loaded with Jewish people?

Short Essay Questions

1. Which objects in the salt mine does Yanek consider aesthetically beautiful?

2. What ominous warning does an SS guard give to Yanek as he enters Auschwitz?

3. At what point do Yanek and the other new arrivals to the Birkenau death camp realize that they have been spared for the moment?

4. What is the significance of the novel's title?

5. Whose advice must Yanek ignore in order to make friends with Fred?

6. What happens to the men and boys accused of plotting escape from the Trzebinia and what proof does Yanek have of their innocence?

7. What morning routine does Yanek develop during his time imprisoned in Birkenau and why does he consider the routine important?

8. For what reason does Fred become unable to work?

9. Discuss an instance when Gratz uses a literary device to indicate the preciousness of food.

10. What small moment of triumph does Yanek experience during the transition from Auschwitz to another concentration camp?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Analyze the interplay between the resolution of Prisoner B-3087 and one of the novel's main messages. How does Gratz make connections between these elements and how does their juxtaposition help them get across one main message of the novel?

Essay Topic 2

Could Prisoner B-3087 be classified as a coming-of-age story? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 3

Choose an object from Prisoner B-3087, such as the Star of David armband, the rooftop door, or some other symbolic object and discuss its overall meaning and its connection to themes within the text.

(see the answer keys)

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