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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. Once inside the party location with Josie, the narrator realizes he's at a what?

2. What does the narrator do when he meets Josie on the way home from Pulaski's store?

3. When the narrator goes to Pulaski's grocery store on an errand for Mother, he talks to Howie, who used to do what?

4. As an adult, the narrator lives in what type of dwelling?

5. Who answers the door when the narrator goes to Daphne's house?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe Daphne's and the narrator's date.

2. How does the narrator prepare for his date with Josephine?

3. What are some of the items the narrator finds in the box of toys his mother sends him when he's an adult?

4. How does the narrator ask Wanda Hickey to the prom?

5. What is the Wimpy Doll?

6. What happens to the adult narrator's fire chief hat?

7. Why does the narrator grow more and more uncomfortable at the party with Josephine?

8. Describe the narrator's trip to Daphne's house.

9. How does the narrator's family react when he says that he's asked Daphne Bigelow out on a date?

10. Describe some of the pre-prom rituals.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

On their annual trip to Michigan, the narrator and his family encounter one obstacle after another. Despite their ups and downs, the family members are able to stay excited about their vacation. As an adult, the narrator says these vacations were very memorable. Explain why adversity in life creates memories, using examples from the book and from your own experience.

Essay Topic 2

A day at the County Fair turns into another opportunity for the author to showcase the Shepherds' eccentricities. Describe the fair experience from the viewpoint of each family member -- Mother, Randy, the Old Man, and the narrator. Who seems to enjoy the fair the most, and why? Use examples to support your conclusion.

Essay Topic 3

1. Explain how the author chooses to lead up to the Shepherd family's experiences at the County Fair.

2. Is this method of starting with a present event and then looking back across time an effective one? Why or why not?

3. Is this technique used in other stories in the book? If so, cite at least one more example and analyze its effectiveness.

(see the answer keys)

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