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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 James see on the other side of the lilies?

2. In Chapter 1, what do the cows do in the pasture?

3. What did the bird do when James reached in further to grab him?

4. Where does James see the smoke coming out of while he is waiting in Chapter 1?

5. What is Mama always doing to Ty?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe the waiting room in the dentist's office during the opening of Chapter 8.

2. Describe the scene where James is waiting.

3. Why did James pretend he was asleep?

4. Why does Mama pay for food even after James tells her that he's not hungry?

5. Who finds out about James' toothache and what does this person do about it?

6. What kind of birds does James claim he has eaten?

7. What does James do first thing in the morning in Chapter 2?

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

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

10. When James thinks about home during his walk back to the cafe what does he remember?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

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 2

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?

Essay Topic 3

Throughout the story, The Sky is Gray, James and his mother are almost always together. Describe Octavia and James' relationship. Would you consider their relationship to be a normal mother/son connection? Why or why not? How does James feel about his mother? How does Octavia feel about her son? Why doesn't Octavia express her love for James and do you think she really loves him?

(see the answer keys)

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