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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. The narrator realizes he has found his weapon when the black-shawled lady pulls what out of a box?

2. After being greeted by a woman wearing a black shawl, what does the narrator ask for?

3. What is the Mariah?

4. Who successfully rings the bell at the County Fair strong man exhibit?

5. What does the Old Man do two weeks prior to the family's departure for their annual Michigan vacation?

Short Essay Questions

1. Where do the Bumpuses make their illegal liquor?

2. Describe some of the interesting sights the four members of the Shepherd family see while they are together at the County Fair.

3. Describe the yard of the Bumpus family.

4. How do the brothers behave at the County Fair?

5. What happens after the narrator uses a dummy top and lets Farkas win the first round?

6. 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?

7. On departure day, why does the Shepherd family fail to leave for their annual trip at six in the morning as planned?

8. What are the Mariah and the Wolf?

9. Describe the Shepherd family's arrival at Ollie Hopnoodle's resort in Clear Lake.

10. Who does most of the work when it's time to prepare for the narrator's annual vacation?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

As a young person, the narrator spends a great deal of time living in his world of daydreams and imagination. How does the reality of his life compare to the world of his imagination? How do his daydreams serve him when reality is full of disappointments?

Essay Topic 2

The Old Man is a study in contrasts. One minute he's cursing and complaining, the next he's laughing and joking about a challenge he just went through. Using examples from the book, create a description of the Old Man that shows him as a man of contrasts and mixed messages. How do his sons handle a father as unpredictable as theirs?

Essay Topic 3

1. Expand and explain the narrator's point of view that prom is a rite of passage full of strange rituals that he and others are forced to attend as they become adults.

2. Despite his reluctance at attending the prom, does the narrator have a good time at the dance? Explain.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,003 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample