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This test consists of 15 multiple choice questions and 5 short answer questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. For what is Dale Hawthorne well-known in his town?
(a) His drinking.
(b) His prize winning cows.
(c) His drunken fights.
(d) His poetry and his poetry readings.

2. What does Jack do while waiting for the cows to finish eating?
(a) He takes a nap.
(b) He cries in the hay.
(c) He listens to them chew.
(d) He screams at the cows to hurry.

3. Where does Jack sometimes find his father after the accident?
(a) Lyning in the hammock in the back field.
(b) Lying in bed drinking.
(c) Lying on the cow-barn floor crying.
(d) Lying on the couch watching tv.

4. At the time of the harvest, how long has Jack's father been gone?
(a) Three months.
(b) Six weeks.
(c) Five weeks.
(d) Three weeks.

5. What explanation does Jack give Phoebe at the beginning of lunch that puts her at rest?
(a) He has said grace in his head.
(b) He enjoys being just the two of them for lunch.
(c) He is a very neat eater.
(d) He is happy with the lunch.

6. What is it that makes Jack crazy once his good feelings wear off?
(a) The amount of work to do on the farm.
(b) The stupidity of the cows.
(c) The lack of rain.
(d) The fact that his father is gone.

7. What kind of man is Jack's father?
(a) A silly and impetuous man.
(b) A kind and stupid man.
(c) A cruel and hateful man.
(d) A sensitive, intelligent dreamer.

8. How old is the child when he dies?
(a) Five.
(b) Seven.
(c) Nine.
(d) Twelve.

9. How does Jack's mother comfort him and his sibling?
(a) By taking them on long drives.
(b) By reading the Bible to them nightly.
(c) By embracing them and giving constant praise and reassurance.
(d) By telling them the accident was not their fault.

10. What does Jack drink from the thermos Phoebe brings him?
(a) Iced tea.
(b) Lemonade.
(c) Cold milk.
(d) Iced water.

11. What about his surroundings does Jack become aware of while eating his lunch?
(a) The day has begun to cool down.
(b) It is a breezeless, insect-ridden heat.
(c) There are clouds in the sky predicting rain.
(d) There are birds singing in the trees.

12. While riding on the tractor, what things does Jack say about himself to himself?
(a) He is spiritually defective and evil.
(b) He is almost a teeneager and has his whole life ahead of him.
(c) He is guilty but feels better each day.
(d) He should never have been driving the tractor in the first place.

13. In the opening of the story, who dies in April?
(a) John Hawthorne.
(b) Daniel Hawthorne.
(c) Dale Hawthorne.
(d) David Hawthorne.

14. What is Phoebe's attitude as she carries the basket filled with lunch up to the field hands?
(a) She is obviously frustrated and does not want to walk up the hill.
(b) She is annoyed by the insects flying in her face.
(c) She sees nothing unreasonable about lugging the basket up the hill.
(d) She is delighted and runs up the hill.

15. What happens to Jack when he has painful thoughts on the tractor?
(a) He shakes in weakness and finally gets off the tractor to rest.
(b) He sobs and loses control of the tractor.
(c) He laughs it all off and drives the tractor home.
(d) He stops the tractor and goes home for something to eat.

Short Answer Questions

1. In Dale's story, whose skull is Lord Byron trying to make into a drinking cup?

2. How much time has passed between David's death and harvest time in the fields?

3. On what does Jack concentrate in order to regain his composure after his painful thoughts?

4. When Jack cannot make his good feelings last, what does he do?

5. What does Jack notice about his sister as she is laying out the food?

(see the answer keys)

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