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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 Maria say that Bruno’s father did for her mother after Maria had been working for the family a short time in Chapter Six: "The Overpaid Maid"?

2. How old was Bruno’s Grandfather said to be when Bruno’s family left for Out-With?

3. What is the name of the tutor who arrives to teach Bruno and Gretel in Chapter Nine: "Bruno Remembers that He Used to Enjoy Exploration"?

4. What Italian explorer and cartographer, who first demonstrated that Brazil and the West Indies did not represent Asia's eastern outskirts, does Bruno describe learning about in Chapter Nine: "Bruno Remembers that He Used to Enjoy Exploration"?

5. For how long does Bruno say he’s been exploring when he meets the boy on the other side of the fence in Chapter Ten: "The Dot that Became a Speck that Became a Blob that Became a Figure that Became a Boy"?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is revealed on the plaque that Bruno reads in Chapter Nine: "Bruno Remembers that He Used to Enjoy Exploration"?

2. How does Bruno go about “making the best of the situation” in Chapter Six: "The Overpaid Maid"?

3. How does Gretel go about attempting to cheer up her brother in Chapter Three: "The Hopeless Case"?

4. What is Bruno’s father’s position within the German military? What is the reason for his relocation?

5. How would you describe the character of Bruno based on the reading of Chapter One: "Bruno Makes a Discovery"?

6. How old is Gretel in Chapter Four: "What they Saw through the Window"? How does Bruno feel about his sister?

7. Would you describe Bruno’s character as “innocent” in the novel? How “innocent” are Bruno’s parents?

8. What confuses Bruno about the people on the other side of the fence in Chapter Ten: "The Dot that Became a Speck that Became a Blob that Became a Figure that Became a Boy"?

9. What is Gretel’s response to the mystery of the fence and what is beyond it in Chapter Four: "What they Saw through the Window"?

10. What did Bruno experience of his grandmother’s argument with his father in Chapter Eight: "Why Grandmother Stormed Out"?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the history of the Auschwitz concentration camp under Nazi rule. When was the concentration and extermination camp established? How many Jews, Poles, and other individuals were killed at Auschwitz? How is Auschwitz depicted in The Boy in the Striped Pajamas?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the character of Pavel in the novel. How do you perceive Pavel’s life prior to the Nazi takeover? What was his profession? How old is Pavel? What do you think happens to Pavel at the end of the story?

Essay Topic 3

Analyze and discuss the character of Gretel in The Boy in the Striped Pajamas. What is Gretel’s relationship like with her brother? How old is Gretel? What characteristics stand out the most about her character? How does Gretel’s character evolve throughout the novel?

(see the answer keys)

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