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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 did Ajarry's second husband die?

2. At what port was Ajarry held in a dungeon while the slave ships arrived?

3. On what slave ship was Ajarry taken from her homeland?

4. How far did Big Anthony make it from the Randall plantation before he was discovered?

5. From where were the slave traders that purchased the rest of Ajarry's family in Ouidah?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is Cora's job at the Museum of Natural Wonders?

2. What led to Cora becoming a "stray"? What does this term mean in the narrative?

3. What are the implications of James Randall's death?

4. How are Cora and Caesar greeted when they arrive in South Carolina?

5. What is Ajarry's relationship with the protagonist? How is her character described in the novel?

6. How did Arnold Ridgeway come into his profession?

7. Who is Martin Wells and how is his character described?

8. What resentments does Cora come to form about her work at the Museum of Natural Wonders?

9. Who is Mr. Lumbly and how is his home described?

10. What happens when Cora goes to the train station in the end of "South Carolina"?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Analyze and discuss Cora as the protagonist of The Underground Railroad. What characteristics does Cora exhibit when her character is introduced? What makes Cora a "stray"? How does Cora's character develop over the course of the story?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the historical context of The Underground Railroad. What were the laws and regulations like in Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Indiana at this time historically? How important is it to understand the historical context in order to follow the novel's plot?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the character of Dr. Stevens in the novel. Where does Cora encounter Dr. Stevens? How does he treat Cora? What does the reader learn about Stevens's nighttime activities? Why are these activities significant in the novel?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 795 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample