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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. What does Lonnie do while Ralph works on the bust?

2. What does Ralph do when the boys return to camp?

3. How much money does Ralph send to his mother each month?

4. What is the occasion for Ralph's buying Lonnie the gifts?

5. Ralph makes a bust of _______________ to use as a sample to get more work.

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Lonnie insist on doing when he has fully paid his portion of the car?

2. Why does Ralph allow Lonnie to take undeserved credit for the clay bust projects?

3. How do the boys spend Christmas evening?

4. What advice does the bank receptionist have for Ralph?

5. What happens after the banker approves the clay bust?

6. What does Lonnie do in his overzealous approach to the clay bust for the banker?

7. How is Lonnie more of a hindrance than a help regarding the clay bust work and what does Ralph need to do so that the artwork will not be ruined?

8. What does Ralph not want his mother to know, and what are his plans for settling down?

9. What does Ralph encourage Lonnie to do when Lonnie tells him he is broke, and what does Ralph think when Lonnie leaves the theater halfway through a movie?

10. What expenses do the boys incur in El Paso that really drains their funds?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Despite the extremely trying times in this post-World War I era, the people who Ralph meets are, for the most part, very generous and supportive of each other. Cite at least three examples that show this strength of character and generosity.

Essay Topic 2

Create a character study of Lonnie. What are his physical characteristics? What are his motivations? What are his fears? What are his dreams? What else can you say about Lonnie?

Essay Topic 3

Project into the future ten years after the end of the novel and write a brief synopsis for Ralph's life. Will he still be alive? Who will be present in his life? Where will he be living? What will his thoughts about the world be at this time? Explain.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 891 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample