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. Why is Ruth's family disliked?

2. What is the name of the main character?

3. What is the name of Ruth's best friend?

4. What is the name of the boy Ruth meets in this chapter?

5. Who does James' brother ask about what color Jesus is?

Short Essay Questions

1. What happens to James when his mother forgets to pick him up from kindergarten?

2. How does Ruth's friend, Frances, support her?

3. How did Ruth and her family live in America when they first arrived?

4. Why is Chapter 2 written in italics?

5. How does Betsy react to Ruth's pregnancy?

6. What does Ruth say about her parents' marriage in Chapter 3?

7. How does Ruth react to Hunter Jordan's death?

8. Describe the household James was brought up in.

9. Describe the character of Daddy.

10. Describe Sam's life.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

What events in James' early life influenced him to become a musician? How different do the students think James' life would have been if she had not grown up in poverty?

Essay Topic 2

Examine McBride's writing style. How would you describe his prose style? What kind of vocabulary does he use? Does he use any specific writing techniques? What meaning does McBride's style give to his story?

Essay Topic 3

Identify the main themes of the story. Why do you think these themes are so important to the story? How does McBride use character and setting to express his themes?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 753 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample