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This test consists of 5 multiple choice questions, 5 short answer questions, and 10 short essay questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. Which of the following are NOT found in the Bumpus' yard?
(a) Peacocks.
(b) Rats.
(c) Chickens.
(d) Hounds.

2. At the start of Story Four, what reminds the narrator of his annual family vacations to Clear Lake, Michigan?
(a) Postcard.
(b) Magazine article.
(c) Souvenir.
(d) Commercial.

3. How long does the ham that Mother prepares have to sit in the oven to rest?
(a) Ten minutes.
(b) Half an hour.
(c) Twelve hours.
(d) Three hours.

4. When the Old Man gets himself a beer at the fair, what does he get for his older son?
(a) Spiced cider.
(b) Shirley Temple.
(c) Banana milkshake.
(d) Orange Nehi.

5. The narrator notes that the only way to get his father going in the morning is with what?
(a) The morning paper.
(b) A cigarette and coffee.
(c) A double espresso.
(d) A plate of bacon and eggs.

Short Answer Questions

1. How do the boys prepare for their Michigan vacation?

2. A week before taking his family to Michigan for their vacation, the Old Man makes a phone call to request what?

3. How long does the narrator practice with his fighting top?

4. What type of student is Delbert Bumpus?

5. What does the Old Man find touching when he's looking at the County Fair quilts with his family?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe the sense of anticipation the Shepherd family members feel as they prepare to experience the County Fair. What is each family member looking forward to the most?

2. Which member of the narrator's family seems to be the most excited at the County Fair?

3. Describe the Shepherd family's annual summer vacation.

4. What are the Mariah and the Wolf?

5. What happens when Randy, the Old Man, and the narrator ride the Whirligig Rocket Whip?

6. How does the author lead the narrator into telling the story of his top-spinning battle with Scut Farkas?

7. What are some of the misadventures the family experiences on their drive to Michigan?

8. At the end of the Shepherd family's County Fair excursion, what is the Old Man's assessment?

9. What is the final outcome of the battle of the spinning tops between Scut Farkas and the narrator?

10. How does Delbert Bumpus disrupt life at school?

(see the answer keys)

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