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This test consists of 5 multiple choice questions, 5 short answer questions, and 10 short essay questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. How many shots did the police officer fire at the fleeing youth in front of the fire station in Chapter 6?
(a) One.
(b) Five.
(c) Two.
(d) Three.

2. Why were merchants good to firefighters (i.e., by giving them discounts) under the old system?
(a) They were required to offer discounts to firemen.
(b) They expected the firemen to protect them from arson.
(c) They wanted to get faster response times during emergencies.
(d) They expected the firemen to be forgiving during inspections.

3. What did the cockroaches symbolize in Smith's view?
(a) Poverty.
(b) Disease.
(c) Fear.
(d) Uncleanliness.

4. Why was Dennis upset about the visit from the welfare inspector?
(a) He thought his friends would see the inspector and he was ashamed about being poor.
(b) He was afraid the family would be denied more benefits.
(c) He was afraid the inspector would find the hidden television.
(d) The inspector spoke to his mother harshly.

5. Where did Smith take the application test?
(a) Upper West Side.
(b) Harlem.
(c) South Bronx.
(d) Greenwich Village.

Short Answer Questions

1. Why was Pat, Dennis' wife, willing to accept his remaining in a dangerous profession?

2. What is the Irish way of making tea, as described by Smith in Chapter 7?

3. Why did the city fence off the empty lots near the fire station?

4. What was the first call the department took the day after the Saint Patrick's Day parade?

5. How many stitches did Fireman Billy-o get in Chapter 7?

Short Essay Questions

1. In what way does it seem as though Smith--despite his hatred for cockroaches--actually respects them?

2. Did Smith feel that the rich New Yorkers mentioned in Chapter 7, who were raising money to bail out Black Panthers, had any real understanding of need?

3. Why were some of the firefighters unwilling to help out at the department's occasional parties for neighborhood kids?

4. How did contemplating the changing seasons make it easier for Smith to deal with the dangers of his job?

5. Does Smith feel that society has become more violent over the years, and if so, why?

6. Is the poverty seen by Dennis Smith in the South Bronx different than the poverty in which he grew up?

7. Why did Smith view being a firemen as a sign of success when he was a child?

8. In what key way does Smith say the modern firefighting exams are different from those of the past?

9. Why does Smith suggest that perhaps even with guidance, South Bronx resident Tina de Vega may still have ended up on drugs and prostituting herself?

10. Describe the character of Lieutenant Collins.

(see the answer keys)

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