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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. Who took over Hughes's English classes when he left Mexico?

2. How did Hughes begin earning his own money while he lived with his father?

3. What rivers were on Hughes's mind when he wrote his famous poem on the way to Mexico?

4. Where did Hughes get his pet monkey?

5. On his first day in Paris, where did Hughes go?

Short Essay Questions

1. How did Hughes begin writing poetry? Did he like writing poetry? What was his style of poetry?

2. Describe Hughes's childhood. With whom did he live? How did he begin to be a reader? Where did he attend school?

3. How did Hughes react to being in college at Columbia University? What were the problems he identified?

4. What happened to Hughes when he, his mother, and his grandmother went to Mexico? Why did they go there, and when did they return?

5. Who did Hughes stand in line to see at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York? What did he think of the performance?

6. Who was Edward? How did Hughes meet him?

7. How did Hughes go about earning money in Mexico? What were his plans for the money he earned there?

8. Where did Hughes find a more permanent job in Paris? What were his initial job duties? What important new perk did this job offer him?

9. What were the three tragedies Hughes described happening in the village before his departure back to the states?

10. Who was Florence Embry Jones? Who were some of the musicians Hughes heard because of Florence?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Hughes described in detail a brawl in the Grand Duc involving a woman named Annette. There was a distinct theme and message Hughes was making in his retelling of the story. Discuss the brawl, what it was about, and what it stood for in Hughes's life. Why do you think Hughes did not jump into the brawl to fight?

Essay Topic 2

Hughes met a child, Edward, while in an African port. Hughes said his meetings with Edward inspired his best short story "African Morning." What was Edward's story? Why did Hughes find Edward's situation especially painful? Why did his encounter with Edward inspire a story?

Essay Topic 3

There were two singers at the Grand Duc while Hughes worked there: Florence Embry Jones and Bricktop Ada Smith. Both were excellent jazz singers and two very different women. Compare the two singers, what they offered the Grand Duc, and how they affected Hughes while he worked there.

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