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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 Newburg call Armpit?
2. How does Armpit do on his Economics exam?
3. What would happen if the seller of forged tickets is caught?
4. What does the suspect lie about when questioned?
5. What does Armpit do to Kaira's letter?
Short Essay Questions
1. What "game" do Kaira and Armpit play when they leave the hotel restaurant and what does Kaira disclose to Armpit?
2. How does the attack on Kaira end?
3. What does the narrator say about what happens in the events surrounding Kaira?
4. What does Armpit stop to buy and then where do Kaira and Armpit go?
5. What does El Genius do in Armpit's room?
6. What does Armpit tell Ginny about his experience in San Francisco?
7. What happens when Armpit encounters Felix and Moses coming back from his speech exam?
8. What does Armpit's boss say about Armpit's work and what does the boss offer to do?
9. Describe the conversation between Detective Newburg and Armpit after he witnesses X-Ray's interrogation.
10. What have Aileen and El Genius been doing with Kaira's money, and why does El Genius want Armpit to come to San Francisco?
Essay Topics
Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:
Essay Topic 1
1. What is foreshadowing? How many incidences of foreshadowing are in Small Steps? How does foreshadowing contribute to a book's suspense?
2. Discuss an example of foreshadowing in Small Steps, including why you believe it is foreshadowing. Include examples from the book and your own life to illustrate your answer.
3. How do you think most people react to uncertainty in their lives? Use examples from Small Steps and your own live to support your opinion.
Essay Topic 2
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.
Essay Topic 3
Important elements in Chapter 14 and 15 include the Mayor's outright suggestion that the actions of the police are motivated and/or defined by racism and the appearance of the Mayor herself. This comes across as something of a deus ex machina, a term first used in Ancient Greek theater to describe an incident in which conflict was resolved by the unexpected intervention of an all-powerful god, arbitrary but necessary for the story to be resolved how the author wanted it to be. Yes, the author of "Small Steps" has made an effort to establish at least some relationship between Armpit and the Mayor (Chapter 1), but there is the sense that the only reason that scene exists is to make the mayor's appearance here seem a little less unlikely. If that is, in fact, the case, the attempt doesn't really work. It seems highly unlikely that such an important official as the mayor, even one who enjoys Kaira's music as much as this one seems to, would be on the crowded floor of the stadium during a concert.
1. Do you think it is likely or unlikely that the police's actions were partly due to racism? Why or why not? Use examples from your own life and Small Steps to support your reasoning.
2. Explain in detail, why the mayor being at the concert was a type of deus ex machina. Use examples from your own life and Small Steps to support your reasoning.
3. Explain, in depth, why the mayor being at the concert was or was not a narrative contrivance. Use examples from your own life and Small Steps to support your reasoning.
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This section contains 1,291 words (approx. 5 pages at 300 words per page) |
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