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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 is in the basket Phoebe brings to Jack?

2. What recitation of his father's does Jack recall as he suffers his anger and grief?

3. What sight does Jack see when he remembers his brother's death?

4. What can Jack hear from the other workers sitting at the other lunch site?

5. Where on the farm does Jack work with his uncles?

Short Essay Questions

1. Now that his father is home to stay, what does Jack with his free time. Why?

2. When Dale looks up to the door and sees Jack, what does Dale say to his son? How does Jack respond to his father?

3. How does the story open? How does the first sentence compel the reader to read the next?

4. Dale Hawthorne decides against suicide. Why does he do so? What does he do instead of killing himself?

5. As his lessons continue, what does Jack begin to realize about his teacher and his rants about America and Russia?

6. Jack begins to play the French horn in earnest. Why does he do this? Where does he practice?

7. How does Jack's mother handle her son's death? How does she shoulder the care for her children and the farm?

8. Although Jack's morning routines are pleasant, his guilt creeps into his day and the illusions of the morning are shattered. How does he behave as the day continues? What changes for him?

9. When Jack first opens the door and sees his family gathered around his father, his aunt says to him, "It's all over. Your father is home." What does she mean by this?

10. How does Jack feel after asking Yegudkin if he will ever play the horn as well as the teacher? How does Yegudkin respond?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Jack's feelings for his father are complex. Discuss the array of emotions Jack has for his father at different times in the story, and support your discussion with examples.

Essay Topic 2

Based on the various pieces of information and historical references, approximately when does this story take place? Justify your answer.

Essay Topic 3

Jack did not stop the tractor once it had begun dragging the cultipacker over his brother's body. In the second sentence the narrator explains Jack could have applied the brakes and saved his brother. What are some possible reasons Jack did not stop the tractor but stood and watched his brother die instead?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,047 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample