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This test consists of 5 multiple choice questions, 5 short answer questions, and 10 short essay questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. Who has not yet bought any holy water?
(a) Essie.
(b) Chicken-Crow-For-Day.
(c) Buddy.
(d) Birdie Lee.

2. Why does Laura's resentment to Birdie Lee vanish?
(a) Because the collection is larger than normal after Birdie comes forward.
(b) Because Birdie drops a ten-dollar bill in the collection plate.
(c) Because Essie kicks her to make her behave.
(d) Because she realizes the spirit of the Lord is upon Birdie.

3. What is distracting Laura from listening to Essie?
(a) Laura is trying to figure out how to seduce the new man down the block.
(b) Laura is too busy worrying about where she's going to get some gambling money and wine.
(c) Laura is talking on the phone.
(d) Laura is talking to a pimp.

4. What does Essie think Laura should be thinking?
(a) Of the souls they're saving with their preaching.
(b) Of the future.
(c) Of how they are going to keep the authorities from interferring.
(d) Of how to get the people to donate more money.

5. What might be a theme of this story symbolically portrayed in the final lines of this chapter?
(a) That a bad motive can turn out positively.
(b) The self-fueling obsession with pleasure can prevent awareness of opportunities for spiritual growth.
(c) That one should suspect people who start churches without a license.
(d) That wine and church do not mix.

Short Answer Questions

1. How does Essie clean her nails?

2. Where do Buddy and Laura go?

3. Of what does Essie say there will be none?

4. Of what do they persuade each other?

5. What does Laura do to keep the cops from stopping the preaching because of no license?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why do you think any more information about Laura's fate is not offered in this final chapter?

2. What does it say about Laura as a person to send Marietta downstairs to get Essie knowing what Marietta will find?

3. What two things are mentioned that have already been mentioned in previous chapters and what might be the significance of their being mentioned again?

4. What do you think might be the significance of the title "Palm Sunday," of Chapter 1?

5. What do you think one of the main themes might be just based upon the differences in the two major characters as shown in this opening chapter?

6. Why do you think something that seems such a minor detail should be mentioned, such as the fact that Birdie is always running to the bathroom?

7. How does Laura seem to have her moment of transformation as she comes to jail and confronts Essie?

8. How is the title of Chapter 28, "Cross to Bear" relevant to Buddy and Laura's relationship?

9. What might have changed the course of Laura's life if Essie had thrown the knife away when Chicken-Crow-For-Day throws away his weapons in Chapter 12?

10. Do you believe Buddy really is upset that Essie does seem to believe his conversion is sincere?

(see the answer keys)

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