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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. Where do the larger boys play when they visit the railway tracks?

2. How does James say they will all die?

3. What occurs with LaShawn and her two children, boyfriend, and boyfriend's brother ?

4. What seriously haunts Lafeyette?

5. When another person is killed, why do Lafeyette and Pharoah refuse to go to the funeral?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Lafeyette's attitude change toward Rickey?

2. What is the evidence the police collected against Jimmie Lee?

3. Explain what happens to Bird Leg.

4. How do the boys sometimes make money?

5. Explain why LaJoe believes Terrence is innocent when she visits him in Cook County Jail.

6. How does LaJoe's house become overcrowded?

7. What is the accusation the local welfare office caseworkers bring against LaJoe?

8. Describe Lafeyette's academic qualities.

9. How are Dawn and Demetrius singled out and publicized?

10. When Lafeyette is caught shoplifting, how does LaJoe react?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Write an essay entitled "Society's Forgotten People." In addition to the example of the Rivers family, mention other groups of people our society fails. In the essay, discuss how people are measured by the amount of material things they possess and the money they have in the bank and in investments.

Essay Topic 2

Write a critique of THERE ARE NO CHILDREN HERE. Discuss such things as the objectivity of the author, the examples he uses in the book, and what you think his purpose was in writing the book. Be sure to include your evaluation of the value in reading the book.

Essay Topic 3

Write an essay on the exploitation of children. Begin with the need for Lafeyette to grow old before his time. Expand that theme to child soldiers and sweatshop laborers. Discuss how and why this exploitation happens to children all over the world.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 771 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample