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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 the boy call the woman when he apologizes to her?

2. What time is it at the start of "Thank You, Ma'am"?

3. What does the woman do to the purse thief in paragraph one after trying to steal her purse?

4. What happens when someone tries to snatch the woman's purse from her?

5. What does the woman tell the boy she would do if he was her son?

Short Essay Questions

1. How is the woman describe at the start of "Thank You, Ma'am"? What does she look like? What does she have with her? What time is it?

2. What two questions does the woman ask the boy after he tries to steal her purse and how does he reply?

3. How does the woman react to the boy's action at the start of the story?

4. What does someone try to do to the woman as she is walking down the street at the start of the story?

5. What does the woman tell the boy she would do if she was his mother? What does she say is the least she can do for him since she is not his mother?

6. What does the woman say to the boy when he tells her he was not trying to steal her purse?

7. How old is the boy? How is he described physically?

8. What does the woman say about the boy's face after he tries to apologize to her?

9. What do passersby do while the woman is talking to the boy after he tried to steal her purse?

10. What does the woman demand from the boy after he tries to steal her purse?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Define setting and discuss the significance of Hughes' choice of setting in "Thank You, Ma'am."

Essay Topic 2

Write an essay examining the ending of “Thank You, Ma’am.” How did the ending fit into the storyline? Do you think the ending was effective? What theme might the ending represent? What might the author have done differently?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss each character and the conflicts they encounter in the story. How do they handle their conflicts? What does this say about the character?

(see the answer keys)

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