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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 was Euripides Kaufman's position in life?

2. Who comes to the school to give health examinations?

3. What is the park near Gunnar's house like?

4. What class does Gunnar chose for his second semester?

5. For what is Eileen known in school?

Short Essay Questions

1. With what coach does Gunnar develop a relationship and how did the coach learn to play his sport?

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

3. What does Gunnar's mother tell her children about their ancestor Euripides?

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

5. What does Gunnar recall about living in Santa Monica in Chapter 2 and why does he join the Cub Scouts? How does the Scouts work out for him?

6. What happens to Gunnar the morning after they move to a new neighborhood and his mother tells him to go get breakfast?

7. Who is Eileen Litmus, for what is she known at school and how does she affect Gunnar's life at school?

8. How does Gunnar feel about organized basketball and why? What changes for Nick and Gunnar because of basketball and how do they deal with the change?

9. Where does Gunnar go to avoid beatings, what does he do there and how does he still get beat?

10. What is Swen Kaufman's life story, according to Gunnar's mother?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Titles often play a vital role in making a person decide to read a particular book. Discuss the following:

1. Fully explain why you think The White Boy Shuffle is titled as such. Do you think it is the best title for the book? Why or why not? Can you think of a better title? Why would you choose it?

2. How important is a title in influencing you to consider reading a book? Explain your answer.

3. Do you think a title needs to have direct relevance to a book's content? Explain your answer.

4. Have you ever read a book that when you finished, you do not understand the relevance of the title? Does it discourage you from "trusting" that particular author again?

Essay Topic 2

The the reader can see the basis for the mother's fears that her children have lost touch with their own heritage. It is possible that the children's elementary school with all of its misguided stress on multiculturalism has helped to separate the children from understanding their true heritage.

1. Do you think Gunnar's mother's fears are unfounded? Why or why not? Use examples from The White Boy Shuffle and your own life to support your answer.

2. Discuss the ways in which such an emphasis on multiculturalism could confuse a child about his or her own heritage. Use examples from The White Boy Shuffle and your own life to support your answer.

3. Do you think it was illogical for Gunnar's mother to move her children to a lower class and potentially more violent neighborhood just so they could be around people of their own race? Why or why not? Use examples from The White Boy Shuffle and your own life to support your answer.

Essay Topic 3

Discuss one of the following:

1. Thoroughly analyze how the setting informs the plot in The White Boy Shuffle.

2. Trace and analyze one major theme of The White Boy Shuffle. How is the theme represented by symbolism? By the characters' behaviors? By the action?

3. Trace and analyze two secondary themes of The White Boy Shuffle. How are the themes represented by symbolism? By the characters' behaviors? By the action?

(see the answer keys)

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