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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. In the non-italicized section of Chapter 3, who does Oiler say came calling on him?

2. In the non-italicized section of Chapter 4, who do all the smart people think was the smartest man that god ever made?

3. In the non-italicized section of Chapter 3, what kind of pet does Bobby have?

4. In the non-italicized section of Chapter 3, what do the guys in suits tell Bobby about the plane that Bobby then tells Oiler about?

5. In the non-italicized section of Chapter 3, what does Bobby realize when he gets back to his apartment after talking to Oiler?

Short Essay Questions

1. Of the Kid's cohorts, who is the only one that the girl cares about? Why does the kid not summon her for the girl?

2. What are Bobby and Oiler doing off the coast of Mississippi as the non-italicized section of Chapter 1 opens?

3. What is the job that Bobby and Red go on in Port Sulphur?

4. How does the Kid talk? What is the reader's impression of the Kid from the ways he talks and the language that he uses.

5. What part does Bobby's father play in World War II?

6. What does Debussy say that she wants in regard to gender?

7. What does Bobby do with what he finds in his grandmother's basement?

8. Why is the Kid called the Thalidomide Kid?

9. While Bobby is sitting in the cathedral, what does Bobby remember his sister saying about the afterlife and God?

10. After talking to Oiler about Venezuela, what does Bobby notice about his apartment?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

What is the structure of each chapter? Why does the author structure the story in the way that he does? How does this structure support the overall feel of the book?

Essay Topic 2

Describe the sensation that you have when you read the passages between the Kid and Alicia. How do they compare to the passages that focus on Bobby? What are the differences? Are there similarities or parallels?

Essay Topic 3

Why do you think the author chooses to make Bobby's father one of the makers of the atomic bomb? How does this affect Bobby and Alicia? What is the difference in comprehensibility between a tragedy like the atomic bomb being dropped and the tragedy of losing one person in life when that person is the most deeply loved person in life?

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