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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. On what day of the week is Matant Margaret's wake held?

2. What does Samona's father do for a living?

3. Which of the following characters offers Samona food when she has none in her home?

4. On which of the following holidays did Mrs. Fabiyi attack the children with food from her window?

5. When Seth thinks about death, who does he imagine missing after death?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Samona convince Seth that he should visit with Mrs. Fabiyi with her?

2. Why do Seth and Samona pity Bessie Armstrong?

3. How do the Michelin parents punish their children for all the antics they've been involved with over the past few weeks?

4. What information does Samona give Seth about the proceedings at a funeral?

5. What does Samona wear on the night of the beauty pageant?

6. What does the exterior of Mrs. Fabiyi's house look like?

7. How does Seth describe his childhood and his home life as a child?

8. How did Samona live up to the reputation she created for herself on the first day of class?

9. What career is Leticia giving up to become an opera singer, and how does she have time to practice her scales?

10. How do Manmi and Chantal help Samona prepare for the beauty pageant, and what is Seth's reaction to these changes?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

First impressions are important in this novel. First, explain what Seth's first impressions of Samona were when she showed up in his classroom in the third grade. Then, explain whether or not Samona lived up to those first-impressions as the novel progressed.

Essay Topic 2

Mrs. Gemini has a very unique way of parenting her children. First, describe Mrs. Gemini's character as she was described in the novel. Then, give one example of a time Mrs. Gemini made a poor decision within her household. How did this decision affect her children? What seems more important to Mrs. Gemini, her artwork or her children? How can you tell?

Essay Topic 3

The setting of "Seth and Samona' is important to understanding the characters in the novel. First, describe the neighborhood where Seth and Samona grow up. Then, explain the inherent dangers that the children are subjected to here. Finally, explain how these dangers affect the characters of Seth and Samona.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 912 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample