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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 Derek's father ask of Ike in Chapter Two?

2. What mode of transport are the criminal gang known for using in Chapter Six?

3. Why does the cemetery director call Ike in Chapter Seven?

4. In Chapter Twenty-Two, what do Ike and Buddy Lee share together?

5. What does Grayson tell Ike just before he leaves Ike's shop?

Short Essay Questions

1. In Chapter Nineteen, what have Buddy Lee and Ike done with Andy's body?

2. In Chapter Thirteen, how do Buddy Lee and Ike best the two younger men in the house?

3. In Chapter Twenty, why does LaPlata visit Buddy Lee?

4. In Chapter Thirteen, who shows up at Derek's and Isaiah's house while Buddy Lee and Ike are there?

5. In Chapter Eighteen, what kind of relationship do Buddy Lee and Margot have?

6. In Chapter Fourteen, what clue do Ike and Buddy Lee find at their sons' house?

7. In Chapter Two, what do Buddy Lee and Ike seem to have in common?

8. In Chapter One, what do the police come to Ike's house to tell him?

9. In Chapter Twelve, what does Ike say to Buddy Lee about the difference between prison sentences for white and Black men?

10. In Chapter Nine, what does Ike do to one of the workers at the head shop?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Which characters perform significant sacrifices in the service of others? Write an essay explaining your answers, citing specific references to the text to help support your conclusions.

Essay Topic 2

How does Cosby handle the topic of loyalty, and who do you think are the characters that display the strongest loyalty to others in the novel? Write an essay explaining your answers, citing specific references to the text to help support your conclusions.

Essay Topic 3

When and how does Cosby demonstrate the bonding experience between Buddy Lee and Ike, two very different men? Write an essay explaining your answers, citing specific references to the text to help support your conclusions.

(see the answer keys)

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