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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. Which of the following is not one of Chip's gang members?

2. What does John hide behind the refrigerator?

3. Who is the author of THE RIVER NIGER?

4. What covers John's clothes when he comes into the house?

5. Which of the following does NOT describe John?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does the author use the theme of black male figures in the story?

2. How does Jeff make his entrance into the play?

3. How does John behave when he finally arrives home?

4. What does Dudley tell John about Mattie's health?

5. What does Dudley find so amazing about the poem that John reads to Ann?

6. What does Mattie ask Ann to do while she and Grandma go out shopping?

7. What happens after Ann suggests that she move into a hotel?

8. What is Grandma's opinion of Ann?

9. What does Mattie consider to be a big problem in her family?

10. What are the police demands when they surround the house?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Create a brief character study of John. What does he look like? What are his positive personality traits? What are some of his negative characteristics? What are his hopes and fears? What motivates him--if anything--at this point in his life?

Essay Topic 2

Project into the future ten years and write a brief synopsis for the lives of Jeff, Ann and Dudley. Be sure to include emotional states as well as physical characteristics, geographic locations, work, hobbies, socialization, etc.

Essay Topic 3

Explain the concept of loneliness as it exhibits in the story. Which of the characters are lonely? Are they all lonely in some way? Explain the loneliness and the methods and attempts to overcome it.

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