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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. Who "knowed it was hurting me"?

2. What is the color of the school that James and his Mama pass while in the big city?

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

4. Why does James feel he had to kill the bird?

5. Who told Monsieur Bayonne to come over?

Short Essay Questions

1. In the opening of the first chapter of The Sky is Gray, what is James waiting for and what is he going to do?

2. Why does James think the little old lady must be crazy?

3. What does James see when he looks at the river?

4. What does James think about when he looks up at his Mama while they are waiting in the dentist's office?

5. What does Mama do when James pushes one of the cakes towards her after stating that he "can't eat all this"?

6. Why doesn't James mind that he and his Mama are walking all the way back to the cafe where black people eat?

7. What does Helena tell Mama after Mama states that they "don't take no handout"?

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

9. What other thing does Monsieur Bayonne do besides praying to help James' jaw?

10. What type of people are waiting in the dentist's office?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

There are times in the story, The Sky is Gray where there is conflict between two or more of the characters. Name someone that James has a conflict with. Why does a conflict arise and how is it resolved? Name someone that Mama has a conflict with. Why does this conflict arise and how is it resolved? How do these two conflicts affect each character? Use specific examples in the book to support your views.

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

James and Ty are brothers in the story, The Sky is Gray. The two characters are similar in some ways but very different in other ways. Compare and contrast the two brothers in detail. Explain their relationship with each other and with the other characters in the book. How does James relate to Mama differently than Ty does? Use specific parts from the story to support your answers.

(see the answer keys)

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