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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. When Gilbert sees Kenneth in Chapter 2, who does Gilbert think threw Kenneth out again?

2. What did Gilbert remember Queenie serving him when he returned Arthur the first time?

3. Where did Queenie say her husband was in Chapter 15?

4. What type of business did Gilbert's mother start to support the family?

5. What was Celia's mother wearing in Chapter 4, the first time Hortense saw her?

Short Essay Questions

1. What did Gilbert and Hortense wear when they were married?

2. What was the worst hardship Gilbert had to put up with when he went into the RAF?

3. In Chapter 10, what sound does Hortense hear once she is in bed, and what is the noise?

4. Who was the principal of the teacher-training college in Kingston?

5. How does Gilbert look when Hortense arrives in England?

6. What business did Gilbert's mother have and why?

7. In Chapter 14, why were some Black GIs going to Nottingham instead of Lincoln to meet some girls?

8. Who raised Hortense and why?

9. What analogy did Gilbert use to explain why he joined the RAF?

10. Why was Hortense not able to get a job at the Church of England school in Kingston?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Metaphors and similes are figures of speech that are used to make comparisons between things. Metaphors seem to imply an equal comparison, while similes seem to imply a similarity between two things. Does Levy use more metaphors or similes in Small Island? How does the use of metaphors or similes help readers comprehend concepts? How does the use of metaphors or similes help readers make the writing more interesting?

Essay Topic 2

What a reader knows about events and characters is determined by the point of view in a book. What is the point of view in the book? How does the point of view influence what readers know about events and characters? How does it help readers connect with and understand characters?

Essay Topic 3

Gilbert experiences racism in England. How and why do Gilbert and other Jamaicans experience racism in England?

(see the answer keys)

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