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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 destroyed Paul's relationship with LaJoe and now with his children?

2. Why are some boys beating a man outside Horner Homes?

3. What is making Lafeyette nervous?

4. Why does Pharoah dress up one spring morning?

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

Short Essay Questions

1. What is the special fear of Pharoah?

2. What are Lafeyette's nightmares like?

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

4. What is it about public defender Anne Rhodes that Lafeyette does not understand?

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

6. What does Rickey do that displeases LaJoe?

7. What happens to Lafeyette and Pharoah in regard to their education?

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

9. How do Pharoah and Lafeyette happen to run into Rickey on their way for a treat?

10. When Pharoah and Porkchop go to visit Dawn, what is her condition?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Write an essay on the causes of gangs and gang violence. What are the circumstances that cause young people to join gangs and subject themselves to gang authority? If gang authority is accepted, what are the reasons for rebelling against the authority of schools, the police, and the adult family members? Go deeper into the causes than just rebellion. Discuss things like personal safety, a need to belong, and a need to communicate.

Essay Topic 2

Twenty years after the events in 1989 involving Pharoah and his drive for an education, America elected its first African-American President who, interestingly, got his first job working in the Chicago housing projects. Write an essay about how young people like Pharoah began seeing greater opportunities during the last two decades.

Essay Topic 3

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.

(see the answer keys)

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