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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. What have the Gun Totin' Hooligans decided to do to honor Pumpkin?

2. What was the original name of the Gun Totin' Hooligans?

3. With what part of playing basketball does Nick have a problem?

4. For what is Franz assigned on the plantation where he lives?

5. What does Gunnar do in the store?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why is the receptionist at the school surprised to see Gunnar and what does she tell him about his aptitude testing?

2. What does Psycho do to get Gunnar to dance and how does their time at dances often end?

3. What do police officers in Gunnar's new neighborhood ask him and what is his response?

4. With whom has Gunnar become friends in the three years in his new neighborhood and why can he walk unafraid there? What is one of the disadvantages of one of his friends?

5. What does Gunnar say his ancestors were like and what is his family situation in Chapter 1? Where does his mother work and what does she tell the children?

6. How do Gunnar and his sisters get along with the other children in the neighborhood?

7. What does Wolfgang Kaufman do in Nashville and why does he move to Chicago? What does he do in Chicago?

8. Why did Rolf go to a white high school and what happens to him in Vietnam?

9. How did the Gun Totin' Hooligans come to be a gang?

10. What does Gunnar reveal himself to be in the Prologue and how does he feel about his role?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The counselor was shocked that a black student could get the high SAT scores that Gunnar made.

1. Refute or defend the following statement: Stereotypes about people are generally true. Use examples from the text and your own life to support your answer.

2. How do you think stereotyping or generalization in schools can affect students? Use examples from the text and your own life to support your answer.

3. The only statement that can be true about a population is if that population consist of only one person. Discuss this statement in view of the counselor stereotyping black students.

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the following:

1. Why do you think it is important that The White Boy Shuffle was written? Use examples from the text and your own life to support your answer.

2. Do you think The White Boy Shuffle did what the author set out to do? Why or why not? Use examples from the text and your own life to support your answer.

3. Explain why you might or might not read another book by this author about another black person. Use examples from the text and your own life to support your answer.

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the following:

1. What do you think are the characteristics of a successful novel?

2. Analyze and discuss The White Boy Shuffle based upon the criteria you decide upon in #1 and judge if The White Boy Shuffle is a successful novel.

3. Do you think the criteria for a successful novel should be different if it is written for young teens versus adults? Why or why not? Would most adults consider The White Boy Shuffle a successful novel? What about young teens? What about white people? Black people?

(see the answer keys)

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