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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. How do firefighters get enough oxygen when a building is thick with smoke?

2. What was the name of the strong fireman who single-handedly replaced the hose at the end of Chapter 5?

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

4. From which service area did Fireman Vinny Royce switch to join Engine Co. 82?

5. For which time period did Smith work as a firefighter in the South Bronx?

Short Essay Questions

1. Explain why the landlord of the Intervale Avenue apartment building wanted the place torched.

2. What was Firefighter Jim's reaction to news of the arrests of Vietnam War protesters in Chapter 3?

3. Why does Dennis Smith think firefighters--although regular people--are nevertheless somehow apart from others?

4. What was Dennis Smith's main concern about writing about his fellow firefighters?

5. How did Dennis Smith get started on writing Report From Engine Co. 82?

6. As the fire truck responded to the call on Wilkens Avenue in Chapter 3, what experience did Smith flash back to?

7. Why were the firefighters remaining at the scene of the fire on Forest Avenue (in Chapter 5) unsure of the names of the injured firemen?

8. What did the firemen do when they got the second teenager out of the Intervale Avenue apartment building, which was torched in the arson attack in Chapter 1?

9. How did Smith's mother's attitude toward work reflect an old-fashioned way of viewing labor in New York City?

10. Describe how fireman Jim Stack fought the apartment fire at 1284 Fox in Chapter 3.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Smith continued to work in the South Bronx despite the dangers and despite the fact that moving to another neighborhood would still allow him to serve as a firefighter, but in a safer environment. What compels some people to risk their lives for little or nothing in return? Are some people born with a unique sense of compassion and generosity or can this be cultivated in anyone? What kind of intangible rewards did Smith get from serving the South Bronx that he may not have gotten from serving, say, the Upper East Side?

Essay Topic 2

Fire departments in the United States are traditionally overwhelmingly white--Smith himself came from an Irish background and many of his fellow firemen are Irish or Italian. How did that situation arise? Does the tradition of family members following one another into the field explain it? In what ways have fire departments attempted to diversify in recent years, and have those efforts been successful? Are there specific ways you can think of that would help diversify fire departments?

Essay Topic 3

Why was Smith so affected by the interview with the student, Cynthia? Why did his encounter with her leave him feeling both heartened and concerned? Did he ultimately feel uplifted or overwhelmed by what she represented?

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