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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. What does Maria tell Bruno she’d always enjoyed at the house in Berlin in Chapter Six: "The Overpaid Maid"?

3. How is Bruno’s Grandmother’s hair described in Chapter Eight: "Why Grandmother Stormed Out"?

4. What Italian explorer, credited with first discovering the Americas, does Bruno describe learning about from his tutor in Chapter Nine: "Bruno Remembers that He Used to Enjoy Exploration"?

5. What is the bicycle called that is ridden by Bruno’s tutor when he arrives in Chapter Nine: "Bruno Remembers that He Used to Enjoy Exploration"?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Bruno’s mother feel about her family’s relocation to Out-With? What are her main concerns about this setting?

2. 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"?

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

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

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

6. How is Bruno’s relationship to his grandparents described in Chapter Eight: "Why Grandmother Stormed Out"?

7. Who does “the Fury” refer to in the novel? What information does the reader learn about the Fury in Chapter Two: "The New House"?

8. How does Bruno become injured in Chapter Seven: "How Mother Took Credit for Something that She Hadn't Done"? Who helps him?

9. What does Maria relate to Bruno of his father’s actions toward her and her mother in Chapter Six: "The Overpaid Maid"?

10. How does Bruno respond when his father asks him what he thinks of their new home in Chapter Five: "Out of Bounds at All Times and No Exceptions"?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Describe and analyze the character of Bruno’s father in The Boy in the Striped Pajamas. How old is Bruno’s father? What are his notable characteristics in terms of demeanor? How would you describe his relationship with his wife and children? How does Bruno’s father evolve in the story?

Essay Topic 2

Describe and discuss the character of Bruno’s mother in The Boy in the Striped Pajamas. Approximately how old do you think Bruno’s mother is? How is her appearance described? What are Bruno’s mother’s actions, objectives, and obstacles seen in the story?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss Shmuel’s experiences as a Jew prior to his imprisonment at Auschwitz. What had been Shmuel’s father’s profession prior to relocation? Where was Shmuel’s family first taken after they were forced to leave their home? How realistic is the author’s depiction of the realities for Jews at this time?

(see the answer keys)

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