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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 color is Mama's hat and coat?

2. James is told he should mash up what and wrap it in cotton?

3. Who "knowed it was hurting me"?

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

5. What three things are on the sides of the long old road?

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. What do Ty and James have for breakfast and what would Ty rather have?

3. What happens between the woman on the bus sitting beside Mama and James?

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

5. What kind of solution is given to James to help with his toothache?

6. What does Mama do when James says he doesn't want to kill the second bird?

7. Why does the lady at the dentist's office tell the Mama not to feel rejected?

8. What does James think about as he is walking to the cafe?

9. How does James know that Bayonne is "a hundred times smaller than Baton Rouge"?

10. Describe the girl that is sitting across from James on the bus.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The author, Ernest J. Gaines does a wonderful job in describing the outdoor surroundings and scenes in the story. What benefit do these descriptions give the reader of The Sky is Gray? How does it make you feel when you can picture the cold wintry scene in your head and know that Mama and James are having to walk in the cold, wet sleet? Why do you think it was important to give details of the dirt road, the river, and other objects in the story? What element does this add to the story? Does it connect the reader to the characters more? How?

Essay Topic 2

In the story, The Sky is Gray, James and his family are obviously poor. There are many things that James has never had or never will have in his lifetime. What things do you think James, Mama and the rest of the family have to work for that some people in the story (mainly white people) don't think twice about? What examples do you read about in the story to help you come to the conclusion that James' family is poor? How does this help you connect with James and with Mama? Use specific examples from the story.

Essay Topic 3

What do you think the boy in the dentist's office meant by, "Question everything. Every stripe, every star, every word spoken."? Do you think the boy represented the majority of the youth at that time? Why or why not? Do you think the boy was glad that he felt that way about everything; that it should be questioned? Do you think he was right in how he felt? Do you think the preacher and woman in the office that spoke to the boy were more sensible? Why or why not?

(see the answer keys)

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