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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 many of Mr. Ganz’s students does Beth have to play?

2. How is Beth orphaned?

3. When Beth steals green pills from the pharmacy, how many does she take?

4. How does Beth feel after her first chess win?

5. How does Beth feel when she watches the top players play chess at her first tournament?

Short Essay Questions

1. How do the majority of the players react to Beth’s chess skills at her first tournament?

2. How does Beth keep Mrs. Wheatley from knowing she has stolen money from her?

3. What does Beth use to fall asleep at night? Why?

4. What are three things that Beth learns from taking part in her first chess tournament?

5. How was Beth able to beat all of Mr. Ganz’s chess students?

6. What is Beth’s punishment for attempting to stealing green pills?

7. What do both Mr. Shaibel and Mr. Ganz think of Beth? Why?

8. How does Beth describe the Wheatleys?

9. How is Beth able to get away for a length of time to play chess?

10. Why does Beth steal money from Mrs. Wheatley?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The book ends with Beth asking an old man to play chess with her at a park. How does this reflect the answer that she and the other young prodigy gave when asked what they would do after chess? How does this ending also bring the story back around to Beth‘s chess playing beginning?

Essay Topic 2

The relationship between Beth and Mrs. Wheatley begins to develop in Chapter 5. What jumpstarts their relationship? How does their relationship develop over the course of the book? What events lead to changes in their relationship?

Essay Topic 3

Beth gets involved with several men. Describe her relationships with them. What similarities are there? How does the man’s intelligence and ability or inability to play chess influence her feelings for them? How do her physical relationships compare to other relationships she has?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 705 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample