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This test consists of 5 multiple choice questions, 5 short answer questions, and 10 short essay questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. When Richard Allen Mesington is fourteen years old he considers pursuing all of the following careers except?
(a) Soldier
(b) Doctor
(c) Teacher
(d) Major-league pitcher

2. According to the novel, what is the muzzle velocity of a black powder rifle's projectile?
(a) Mach 2
(b) The speed of light
(c) 1,200 feet per second
(d) About 30 long paces

3. Why doesn't Richard Allen Mesington play with the next door neighbor Harv Kline's son?
(a) Harv Kline's son drowned as an infant
(b) Harv Kline's son is too old
(c) Harv Kline's son is too young
(d) Harv Kline's son doesn't like guns

4. After whom was Richard Allen Mesington named?
(a) His maternal grandfather
(b) A famous artist
(c) A well-known gunsmith
(d) A famous British officer of the American Revolutionary War

5. Who lives next door to the Richard Allen Mesington family in Missouri?
(a) John Byam
(b) Cornish McManus
(c) Tim Harrow
(d) Harv Kline

Short Answer Questions

1. When the Mesington family moves away from Willow, Colorado, what state do they move to?

2. When Richard Allen Mesington is four years old, he has an exciting experience doing what?

3. Why does Harv Kline have candles on display for Christmas?

4. What happens to black powder if it is exposed to the air for a long period of time?

5. What profession does Richard Allen Mesington first believe he will pursue?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe the early life of Richard Allen Mesinger .

2. The Mesinger family moves several times during the novel; what impact does this have on Richard Allen Mesinger?

3. Why don't the Mesinger and the Kline children play together?

4. Is the "sweet" rifle a work of art?

5. Sarah steals the rifle from John Byam as he dies; does Tilson steal the rifle from Harv Kline?

6. Describe the chain of events that leads to the rifle being accidentally discharged.

7. The novel summarizes the life that Richard Allen Mesinger "would" have had if he had not been killed. Is this a valid narrative technique?

8. How does the rifle fire after 217 years?

9. Describe the chain of events that leads to the rifle being above Harv Kline's fireplace.

10. What experiences does Mesinger have with firearms in his life?

(see the answer keys)

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