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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. What does Laura discover after she has talked about her life for some time?
(a) That Buddy does not believe her.
(b) That Buddy is asleep.
(c) That Essie is asleep.
(d) That Essie isn't in the room anymore.

2. How does Buddy describe Marty?
(a) As a white boy who thinks he's conning the people of Harlem.
(b) As the power behind the throne all over Harlem.
(c) As a white man who is a friend to Negros.
(d) As a white man who is in the know.

3. What is Laura clutching at the end of the chapter as the two women make a decision?
(a) A Bible.
(b) An empty wine glass.
(c) A bottle of Jim Daniels.
(d) A gambling ticket.

4. What does Laura do to gain the church space?
(a) Threatens to turn in the landlord for code violations.
(b) Tells the landlord he can have 25 percent of the weekly collections.
(c) Bribes the landlord and promises three months in advance rent.
(d) Invites the landlord to her home.

5. What does Essie want to discuss with Laura?
(a) Bringing Essie's daughter there.
(b) The idea for the church.
(c) Getting a preaching license from city hall.
(d) Taking the bus to Brooklyn to visit Essie's mother.

Short Answer Questions

1. What becomes the two women's church?

2. What does Laura say Essie can provide?

3. What is Buddy planning?

4. What central conflict does this chapter set up?

5. What does Essie do after they are persuaded?

Short Essay Questions

1. Assuming many images in a short novel such as this one can be significant, of what do you think Essie's knife could be symbolic?

2. What do you think CJ's initial motives are in trying to get Marietta to make love with him and why do you think that changes?

3. Do you think Buddy's conversion is sincere?

4. What is ironic about the name of the man Laura meets in Chapter 14?

5. How would you summarize the most overarching theme of this book?

6. Just as Laura says she is like her mother in many ways, in what ways does Laura contrast herself to her mother?

7. Why do you think the author has Buddy proposing that the fake holy water they are selling be said to be water from the River Jordan?

8. What do you think the reason is for Essie's pauses, the first of which we see in Chapter 2?

9. At the beginning of Chapter 1, how are the two women described and what might be construed by these descriptions?

10. Why do you think the drums always stop just before Laura makes her entrance?

(see the answer keys)

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