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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 was the name of the children's play Hughes wrote and published in the "Brownie Book"?

2. Who were all but one of the six passengers aboard the S.S Malone?

3. How did Hughes obtain a sleeping car in San Antonio on his way to Cleveland?

4. How did the missionaries aboard the S.S. Malone react to their passage to Africa upon the ship?

5. How old was Hughes's little brother Kit when Hughes returned from Africa?

Short Essay Questions

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

2. What did Hughes notice about the way Mexicans and Negros were treated differently, particularly on his way home from Mexico to Cleveland, Ohio?

3. How did Hughes react to being thought of as Mexican on his way home from Mexico? How did he use this misidentity to his advantage?

4. How long did it take Hughes to find work in Paris? What job did he finally get? What was his pay?

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

6. What happened aboard the S.S. Malone the week before the ship reached the Virgin Islands on its return to New York?

7. What kinds of things happened on board Hughes's ship from New York to Rotterdam? How were they different than the typical passage aboard the S.S. Malone?

8. What happened when Hughes picked up Jocko from the pet shop in New York? How did he raise the money to get home?

9. While sailing along the African shore, what did the crew do from port to port? What did Hughes realize about the black Africans?

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

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

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.

Essay Topic 2

During his time at college, Hughes was introduced to a woman, whose name he did not reveal, who would become his patron and allow him to write without fears of poverty. Discuss this woman and her relationship with Hughes. Describe her and her interest in Hughes and his writing. How did the two of them communicate with each other? How did the relationship finally end?

Essay Topic 3

Hughes was asked to participate in a interracial conference at Franklin and Marshall College. He related two important stories, one about how he and Alain Locke were treated at Hill School in Pennsylvania and another about the practical and meaningful topic he suggested be discussed at the conference. Discuss these two stories and what they meant to Hughes and how they affected his life at college and after.

(see the answer keys)

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