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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. Why doesn't Barrett answer all of Paul's uncle's questions about Paul?

2. Who often buys toys for the children?

3. Who hates to watch Paul when he plays with his toy?

4. What does Joan do when Paul tells his uncle what she taught him?

5. What do Paul and Barrett often talk about?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why is Paul so interested in horse racing?

2. What favor has Barrett been doing for Paul?

3. What changes Oscar's idea about Paul while at the races?

4. How does Oscar respond when he sees what Paul's first bet at the horse races is?

5. How does Mother feel about her children?

6. How do Paul's sisters feel when they watch him play with his favorite toy?

7. What does Paul invite Oscar to do while at the races?

8. What do the children all sense about their mother even with her attempts to hide it?

9. Why does Mother say she is so poor?

10. What is Oscar addicted to?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Please describe how Paul used the rocking horse, and what symbolism this had on the book.

Essay Topic 2

What changes occur in the relationship between Paul and his mother, and what causes these changes?

Essay Topic 3

Where do you think Paul got his ability to predict races? Please support your ideas with excerpts from the text.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 617 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample