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This test consists of 15 multiple choice questions and 5 short answer questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What time is it at the start of "Thank You, Ma'am"?
(a) 6 a.m.
(b) 12 p.m.
(c) 11 p.m.
(d) 5 p.m.

2. How is the boy described as looking?
(a) As strong as an ox.
(b) Frail and willow-wild.
(c) Plump and stout.
(d) Young as green corn.

3. What does the boy say he will do if the woman lets go of him?
(a) Run away.
(b) Walk her home.
(c) Turn himself in.
(d) Go home.

4. What does the boy say to the woman when she asks him why he wanted to steal her purse?
(a) He says she looked rich.
(b) He says he is hungry.
(c) He says he did not aim to.
(d) He says his mama made him.

5. What happens when someone tries to snatch the woman's purse from her?
(a) The strap breaks.
(b) The contents spill out.
(c) The thief changes his mind and runs away.
(d) The thief manages to get it and runs away.

6. What question does the woman ask the boy after he tries to steal her purse?
(a) "Ain't you got a mother?"
(b) "Ain't you ashamed of yourself?"
(c) "Who do you think you are?"
(d) "Do you know who I am?"

7. What does the woman do to the purse thief in paragraph one after trying to steal her purse?
(a) She whacks him on the head with her purse.
(b) She has him arrested.
(c) She yells at him to come back.
(d) She kicks him.

8. What adjective is used to describe the woman's purse in the first paragraph of "Thank You, Ma'am"?
(a) Large.
(b) Small.
(c) Lightweight.
(d) Heavy.

9. With whom is the woman walking home at the start of "Thank You, Ma'am"?
(a) Her boyfriend.
(b) Nobody.
(c) Her coworker.
(d) Her sister.

10. About how old is the boy who tries to steal the woman's purse?
(a) 14.
(b) 8.
(c) 5.
(d) 18.

11. What does the boy call the woman when he apologizes to her?
(a) Miss.
(b) Granny.
(c) Ma'am.
(d) Lady.

12. Who is the author of "Thank You, Ma'am"?
(a) Ernest Hemingway.
(b) Richard Wright.
(c) Langston Hughes.
(d) James Baldwin.

13. What does the woman tell the boy she is going to do for him that evening?
(a) Take him home.
(b) Walk him to jail.
(c) Buy him shoes.
(d) Wash his face.

14. What does the author say the woman does not have in her purse in paragraph one of "Thank You, Ma'am"?
(a) Hammer and nails.
(b) Money and credit cards.
(c) The kitchen sink.
(d) Her dinner.

15. What is the boy wearing when he tries to steal the woman's purse?
(a) Barefoot and tattered overalls.
(b) Oversized shoes and tight pants.
(c) Tennis shoes and blue jeans.
(d) Gym shorts and sandals.

Short Answer Questions

1. How does the woman respond to the boy's explanation for why he wanted to steal her purse?

2. What happens to the purse thief after trying to snatch the purse?

3. Who tries to steal the woman's purse at the start of "Thank You, Ma'am"?

4. What adjective is used to describe the woman in the first paragraph of "Thank You, Ma'am"?

5. What is the first thing the woman says to the purse thief?

(see the answer keys)

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