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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. How does Toby feel as Mr. Howard drives away?

2. After getting Dwight's car stuck in a ditch, Toby sings instead of cursing because:

3. What do Dwight and Toby find when they go upstairs to retrieve the chestnuts Toby peeled?

4. Toby says the Irish tenor in the Champagne Orchestra is singing for his life. This mirrors how Toby feels about:

5. As Geoffrey and Toby communicate more and more, what does Toby realize about his brother?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why do Toby and his friends go to the Welsh's farm? What happens as a result of their actions?

2. How does Toby attempt to convince Mr. Howard that he deserves a scholarship to Hill?

3. At the end of the book, what does Toby say about children? Give an example of this from the book.

4. How do Toby and Dwight say goodbye to each other?

5. What does Toby begin to do after injuring his finger? Why does he do this?

6. Why does Toby run away slowly from the drugstore worker? What does this tell the reader about Toby? Why does no one stop Toby?

7. Why does Mr. Howard think Hill will be tough on Toby? How does Toby respond?

8. Describe a smoker.

9. Why can't Toby apologize to the Welshes? How do Chuck and Mr. Bolger react to this?

10. Who does Rosemary campaign for? Why does this make Dwight angry? How does this affect Toby's home life?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

How would Toby's life be different with a supportive parental figure in his life? Using detailed examples pick four moments in the book that had a significant impact on Toby and explore how those moments would have been different with a more loving, caring parent. Would Toby's life have changed for the better or for the worse?

Essay Topic 2

When Toby's friends get him drunk, he falls from a tree branch and down a concrete hill. As he falls, he keeps his hands in his pockets. What does this demonstrate about Toby? How does this incident affect our understanding of Toby's character? In your opinion, what would have to be different about Toby to motivate him to take his hands out of his pockets?

Essay Topic 3

Toby returns to his house one night while Pearl and Dwight are away. What does he find there? How does this reflect who Toby is? What does Toby do before he leaves the house? Why does he do this, and what do his actions signify?

(see the answer keys)

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