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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 author repeat about the woman's home to let the reader know the boy could leave?

2. Who does the boy say is waiting at his house?

3. What does the woman have in her room to cook and store food?

4. What does the boy tell the woman he wanted to buy himself?

5. What does the woman say shoes "come by devilish" (5) will do?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does the boy tell Mrs. Jones when she asks if he has eaten supper?

2. What does the boy offer to do for the woman while she prepares their supper?

3. How is the boy described as looking and acting while Mrs. Jones pulls him up the street toward her house?

4. What does the woman give the boy before he leaves? What does she tell him?

5. How does Mrs. Jones reply when the boy asks if she is going to take him to jail while he waits for the water to warm so he can wash his face?

6. In what ways does Mrs. Jones show the boy kindness as he gets ready to wash his face?

7. When Mrs. Jones finally lets the boy go, what does he notice before going to the sink?

8. What words are used to describe the way Mrs. Jones handles the boy as the takes him out the street to her house?

9. Where does Mrs. Jones live? How is the place described? How does the boy know there are others in the house?

10. What is the boy's name? What is the first thing Mrs. Jones has him do when they enter her room?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Write a detailed analysis of tone in Hughes' “Thank You, Ma’am.” Include whether the tone changes or remains the same. If it changes, include details on when, why and whether this change is effective.

Essay Topic 2

Write an essay analyzing narrative voice in Hughes of “Thank You, Ma’am.” Include thoughts on how the narrative voice of the story is effective in conveying the story’s themes.

Essay Topic 3

Write an essay analyzing Hughes' commentary on crime and punishment in “Thank You, Ma’am.” How is this theme important to the story? How does it affect the narrative? Use textual evidence to explain your analysis.

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This section contains 675 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample