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This quiz consists of 5 multiple choice and 5 short answer questions through Chapter 9.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What did the firefighters discover after the police had left the station in Chapter 6?
(a) A bullet lodged in a fire truck.
(b) A bullet lodged in a bulletin board near Smith.
(c) A bullet that had ricocheted and landed on the floor of the fire station.
(d) A bullet that hit the alarm system.

2. Approximately how many firefighters died each year in New York at the time the book was written?
(a) Twenty.
(b) Three.
(c) Five.
(d) Eight.

3. How did Smith believe the city was treated by the state?
(a) He felt the state placed too many requirements on the city.
(b) He felt the state put too much emphasis on the city.
(c) He felt the state tried to control the city.
(d) He felt the state took the city's tax money, but failed to provide adequate services.

4. What happened to several firefighters (including Smith) fighting a blaze at a two-story factory building?
(a) A fire broke out behind them.
(b) The roof caved in.
(c) The windows began breaking.
(d) The floor gave away.

5. What did Smith foresee when he first applied to become a firefighter?
(a) Stability and security.
(b) An uneventful job.
(c) A chance to make a difference.
(d) A high salary.

Short Answer Questions

1. What kind of test was Fireman Benny Carroll studying for in Chapter 3?

2. To which classical literary figure does Smith refer when describing the wounds on the young girl assaulted by her stepfather in Chapter 9?

3. How did being interviewed by Cynthia affect Smith's mood in Chapter 9?

4. How did Smith's wife compare his job to that of a soldier's in Vietnam?

5. Which writer once suggested that the story finds the author?

(see the answer key)

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