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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. How are the profits counted at the store Tommy and Rosa tend?

2. What does Tommy sell in the store?

3. What type of food did the shoe boys have at the club?

4. What slang word is used for the money the shoe boys had that Tony used to hang out with?

5. On what street is the candy store located?

Short Essay Questions

1. What happened to the slot machine Tommy put in the candy store, and how did that keep Tommy out of trouble?

2. What is Tommy's life like?

3. What was Rosa's reaction when Tommy put a slot machine in the candy store?

4. Why did Tommy run to Texas for a while?

5. How was Tommy able to save $55 that Rosa does not know about?

6. What type of schedule does Tommy keep?

7. Who were the shoe boys?

8. What was Tommy like when he was a kid and went by his birth name, Tony?

9. How did Tommy get in trouble?

10. How did Tommy get out of trouble after the holdup?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Tommy’s marriage to Rosa was arranged by their parents. How and why was Tommy’s marriage arranged with Rosa?

Essay Topic 2

Imagery is a literary device authors use to describe people in a story and the world they inhabit. Imagery involves using the five senses to describe characters, places, and things. How does Malamud use imagery to reveal Tommy’s world and the other characters?

Essay Topic 3

What readers know about events and characters in a story is determined by the point of view. What is the point of view in The Prison? How does the point of view influence what readers know about characters and events?

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