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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 much money will Mama have left over after paying for travel and cost of pulling a tooth?

2. Where is James when he is beside Monsieur Bayonne?

3. Where did Mama "get" the bird to kill it?

4. What town does Mama and James go to?

5. What would Ty rather have than syrup?

Short Essay Questions

1. What are some of the things that James and his mother pass before they arrive at the dentist's office?

2. Describe the scene where James is waiting.

3. In Chapter 13, what does James think about to keep from getting cold?

4. Why does James close his eyes while he's walking with his Mama back to the dentist's office and what happens when he closes his eyes?

5. What is the opening line of Chapter 7, who says it, and why?

6. Why can't James sleep and what does he do when he is lying awake?

7. How does James describe the sleet that is falling?

8. Why does James say he had to kill the redbird?

9. What choice does Mama give James in Chapter 10?

10. Why does the preacher ask the young man to stand up?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The story, The Sky is Gray takes place during about a day of James' life. Do you feel connected at all with James after only "knowing" him for a day? If so, how and why? If not, why not? Why do you think the author chose to only have the story cover one day of James' life? Was the story effective in the way it was told? Was time an important factor in the story or did it not matter that the story spans the duration of only one day?

Essay Topic 2

Ernest J. Gaines uses flashbacks in his short story, The Sky is Gray. How do these flashbacks strengthen the story? What connections do you feel with James after reading the flashbacks? Do you feel like you understand and know the characters better after you've read various flashbacks? Why or why not? Do you think that Gaines used flashbacks effectively in the story? Do you think there could have been more flashbacks in the story, or did Gaines use just the right amount? How would the story be different if the author did not use flashbacks? Explain your reasoning.

Essay Topic 3

The title of this story is The Sky is Gray. Why do you think Ernest J. Gaines used this title? There is a time in the book that James tells the reader that the sky is gray. Why do you think this was important? Why was it James that proclaimed the color of the sky? What kind of underlying meaning does this title bring to mind? Explain your answers and use specific examples from the story.

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