View a FREE sample

This test consists of 15 multiple choice questions and 5 short answer questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What does the narrator suggest may have been Harold's final thought as he fell into the crowd on the day of the disaster?
(a) I'm going to sue the tent company.
(b) Anna is with child.
(c) A surprise that he did not have Anna's hands in his.
(d) I don't want to die.

2. What is something the narrator says happens when she is in her room and gets a "whiff of smoke from the stove downstairs" (para.2)?
(a) The stitches burn beneath her fingers.
(b) She knows her mother must be cooking something special.
(c) She scurries to make sure her mother is okay.
(d) She panics and cannot breath.

3. What metaphor is used in paragraph 5 to describe the way Anna and Harold would drop through the air during their act?
(a) Like two doves in love.
(b) Like two sparkling birds.
(c) Like two peas in a pod.
(d) Like dragonflies in the night.

4. What did Harold and Anna use for part of their act?
(a) Blindfolds.
(b) Puppies.
(c) Colorful scarves.
(d) Strobe lights.

5. What did Anna and Harold do "openly" as they performed according to paragraph 5?
(a) Laugh and flirt.
(b) Fumble and fall.
(c) Yell and argue.
(d) Sing and dance.

6. Who was the other half of her mother's act?
(a) Harold Avalon.
(b) Henry Allen.
(c) Herman Adams.
(d) Hank Allendale.

7. Who is the author of "The Leap"?
(a) Eleanor Lee.
(b) Leslie Eldridge.
(c) Louise Erdrich.
(d) Leonora Ellis.

8. Where does the narrator say she used to live in paragraph 4?
(a) The North.
(b) The West.
(c) The South.
(d) The Far East.

9. What was the narrator's mother's former career as stated in the first sentence?
(a) Ballerina.
(b) Ringleader.
(c) Fire breather.
(d) Trapeze artist.

10. What weather condition resulted in the disaster Anna and her husband experienced during their act?
(a) A tornado.
(b) A gale.
(c) A blizzard.
(d) A tsunami.

11. What does the narrator point out in paragraph one about how her mother moves through the house?
(a) She barely moves so as not to disturb anything.
(b) She never bumps into anything or knocks anything over.
(c) She is quite clumsy.
(d) She acts as though her daughter is not there.

12. In paragraph 2, what does the narrator say she sometimes thinks her mother has no memory of from her youth?
(a) Double somersaults and heart-stopping catches.
(b) Cramming for tests and getting good grades.
(c) School dances and young love.
(d) Devouring books and writing poetry.

13. Where does the narrator say the tabloids carried the story of their town's disaster?
(a) Boston and L.A.
(b) Cincinatti and New York.
(c) Boston and New York.
(d) Chicago and L.A.

14. What happened during Harold and Anna's act just before they were able to clasp hands in midair?
(a) Anna went into labor.
(b) A blizzard forced everyone to run for shelter.
(c) Lightning struck the main tent pole.
(d) A strong wind blew the tent away.

15. What condition does the narrator's mother have as explained in paragraph 1?
(a) She is deaf.
(b) She has dementia.
(c) She is paralyzed.
(d) She is blind.

Short Answer Questions

1. What does the narrator sometimes do in her childhood room?

2. After reading paragraph 1, what do readers learn about the narrator's mother's former partner?

3. According to paragraph 4, during what month did Anna experience her disaster?

4. What does the narrator say audience members ate while waiting for the act to begin?

5. What are some things the narrator says her mother has not kept from her youth?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 589 words (approx. 2 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample