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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 incriminating thing had Derrick said to the truck owner at the stadium?

2. Where is Pharoah going during the summer of 1989?

3. When LaJoe tells Weasel, her oldest son, what the man did to her, what does Weasel do?

4. Why do the families of the boys refuse to pay damages for the truck?

5. Why does Pharoah dress up one spring morning?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does LaJoe remember the day Terrence was sentenced since Terrence had requested that she not come to court that day?

2. Describe Lafeyette's brush with the law that gets him arrested.

3. Why is Lafeyette put in charge of the children and what is his behavior like?

4. What hope is inspired in Pharoah as a result of his inclusion in the Upward Bound program at the University of Illinois?

5. How does the judge make LaJoe feel after Lafeyette's hearing?

6. What are the projects like in the winter?

7. Describe the conflict between Lafeyette and Paul over the puppy Rickey gave him.

8. Why does Terrence agree to participate in an armed robbery?

9. Who is Vince Lane and what does he hope to accomplish?

10. Why does Pharoah stay up all night on December 30th?

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 an essay on the subject of "Living in Fear." Beginning with the constant shootings and murders in the Chicago projects, expand that subject to other examples of people living in fear. Write about living in fear in ones own family because of an abusive family member. Also include examples like countries where genocide is a common practice and people of certain ethnic or tribal identities are in constant fear of being slaughtered.

Essay Topic 3

Write a paper on uniforms in gangs. Use Kotlowitz's description of the uniform identities of the Vice Lords. Compare that to uniforms adopted by schools, social institutions, and the military. Explain to what extent the purpose of the uniform is the same and to what extent it is different in these various organization.

(see the answer keys)

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