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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 does Armpit do on his economics exam?

2. What does Armpit say Ginny cannot do?

3. What does Ginny think her mother has implied about Ginny's father?

4. Who ends up buying the tickets?

5. What does Armpit want to borrow from Ginny?

Short Essay Questions

1. Where does Kaira take Armpit and Ginny and what do they do?

2. What does Ginny's mother allow Armpit to do and what comment does she make that surprises Armpit's mother?

3. What does Murdock say and do when X-Ray and Armpit arrive at his restaurant?

4. Who is Karia DeLeon?

5. What happens when X-Ray wakes Armpit the next morning?

6. What is the election result and how does Tatiana console Armpit?

7. What happens that makes Theodore decide to turn his life around?

8. About what does the band hint to Kaira and what is her response?

9. Who goes with Armpit to meet X-Ray, and why does Armpit refuse to sell any tickets to the white guys the first time Armpit and X-ray meet up with them?

10. Who is Ginny and what do she and Armpit talk about when he gets home?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Escaping the past, is explored or commented on in several ways. The first is in the opening images of Chapter 6, in which the man crossing the street is portrayed as, and seen by Armpit as, avoiding him because of his criminal history. The key point here is that Armpit chooses not to react - that is, he's no longer reacting negatively to those who DO react negatively to his past. Armpit's determination to move beyond his past also manifests in his avoidance of the teenagers in the car, all of whom he knows from his previous life and all of whom are living and/or behaving in ways that he no longer wants to participate in.

1. Do you think it is unlikely that the man crossed the street to avoid Armpit? Why or why not? Use examples from your own life and Small Steps to support your reasoning.

2. Discuss ways in which a person like Armpit might set himself free from his past. Use examples from your own life and Small Steps to support your reasoning.

3. Discuss the changes that may have occurred inside Armpit that keeps him from reacting negatively to the man on the street. Use examples from your own life and Small Steps to support your reasoning.

Essay Topic 2

Often, authors will write about "what they know," and sometimes knowing a little about the author makes the books more interesting. Discuss the following:

1. Research and give a brief biographical sketch of Louis Sachar.

2. What in Sachar's background may have helped him in writing Small Steps? What may have influenced the way he depicts various characters and scenes?

3. Do you think there is always some of the author's own life in his/her novels? Why or why not? Give examples.

Essay Topic 3

Many readers of fiction place themselves in the position of one character, wondering if they would do the same thing as that character. Discuss the following:

1. Do you think one of the values of literature is to serve as a reflection of oneself? Why or why not?

2. Socrates said "Know thyself." How can reading a book such as Small Steps help a reader to know him/herself? Do you find yourself reflecting on your own character and abilities when reading Small Steps? Why or why not?

3. Choose one specific incident in Small Steps to discuss and compare one of the characters' response to how you think you would respond.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,167 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample