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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 does Paul act during the big race?

2. How do people know which horse to bet on at the big race?

3. What does Mother do as soon as she gets home from the party?

4. What color is Paul wearing when he makes the pick for the final race?

5. What whispers to Paul after Mother gets her birthday money?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does the author describe Paul as he discovers the name of the winning Derby horse?

2. What is symbolic in Paul's death?

3. What is Paul hoping to hear from the house after his mother gets her birthday present?

4. What happens after Paul tells Mother the winning name for the Derby?

5. What causes Mother to become more connected to Paul?

6. What does Mother show by the way she reacts to her birthday gift?

7. What does Oscar help Paul plan to do with his winnings from the races?

8. What does Mother say caused her family a lot of grief when she was younger?

9. What is the first thing Mother does when she comes home from her party?

10. What keeps Mother at the party when she wants to leave?

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

How did Mother treat her children, and what effect did this have on their behavior throughout the book?

Essay Topic 3

Where did irony occur in the winning race, and how did this affect the tone of the book?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 645 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample