View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. In Chapter 13 when Benny is hospitalized, what is taken from him and his mother and locked up?

2. Where was Kenji born?

3. How old is Benny when his father dies?

4. What color glasses does Benny remember that the librarian at Children's Hour had?

5. Why does Benny decide to go to the library in Chapter 15?

Short Essay Questions

1. How is Kenji's body transported to the crematorium?

2. What does Benny hear when he steps on some Christmas ornaments?

3. Where does the Aleph take Benny to see Slavoj, the Bottleman in Chapter 32?

4. What book does Annabelle buy at Michael's and how does the Book explain the purchase?

5. How does reading at the library help Benny?

6. Why did Kenji live at a Zen temp for a time, and how did he start playing jazz?

7. Where does Annabelle work?

8. What does Slavoj say about hearing voices?

9. How is Annabelle strugging at the psychiatrist's office in Chapter 9?

10. Why does Benny punch a window in his school classroom?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Puns are figures of speech that involve wordplay and double means or using words that sound similar but have different meanings. How does Kenji use puns? How and why does the fact that English is Kenji’s second language affect his use of puns?

Essay Topic 2

Benny and Slavoj have a conversation about poetry and writing in Chapter 40. What conversation do Benny and Slavoj have about poetry and writing? How does their conversation relate to the title of the book?

Essay Topic 3

Annabelle goes shopping when she is depressed. Why does Annabelle go shopping when she is depressed? How and why does shopping improve her mood?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 933 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample