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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. Why does Nipper fly around the house once or twice before flying away in the morning?
(a) To look for other pigeons before leaving.
(b) To set the compass in his head in order to return.
(c) To say goodbye to Palmer.
(d) To tease Beans and the rest of the gang.

2. What other things does Beans do to try and get a reaction from Dorothy?
(a) Make faces, screams, dumps beans on her shoes, takes her hat.
(b) Trips her, calls her names, rips up her homework papers.
(c) Screams, steals her books, throws her papers away.
(d) Pushes her, screams, throws her hat away.

3. Where is Palmer to meet the gang on Saturday for the pigeon shoot?
(a) At the ferris wheel.
(b) At the pigeon cages.
(c) At the baseball field.
(d) At the World War I cannon.

4. What new experience does Palmer have when falling asleep after talking to his mother?
(a) He falls asleep and dreams about pigeons.
(b) He does not sleep alone, his pigeon is sleeping in his room.
(c) He falls asleep and has nightmares about snow.
(d) He does not fall asleep, worried that his pigeon will peck on him.

5. What do Beans, Mutto, Henry and Palmer sometimes call themselves?
(a) The Bad Boys.
(b) The Rabble Rousers.
(c) The Tormentors.
(d) The Beans Boys.

Short Answer Questions

1. What does Palmer give Dorothy to use in hopes of getting Nipper to stand on her head?

2. Why does Palmer run home and leave the boys behind in Chapter 12?

3. What does Palmer think to himself when Beans makes his announcement to his friends at the soccer field?

4. How does Palmer decide to handle Saturday and the pigeon shoot?

5. Who does Palmer decide to tell about his pet Nipper?

Short Essay Questions

1. Palmer tries to explain to Dorothy why he cannot tell people he does not want to be a wringer. What kinds of pressure does he feel? How does he think people will react?

2. Palmer describes the wish he should make after Nipper has been seen in the sky by the gang. What is that wish? Why can't he make that wish?

3. In Chapter 15, Palmer goes through a series of emotional reactions to the pigeon tapping on his window. What are some of those reactions?

4. When Palmer opens the door on his birthday and finds Beans, Mutto and Henry there, he is elated. Why? Who are these boys? What do they represent in Palmer's life?

5. Palmer asks his mother for a favor. What is the favor, and why does Palmer ask her? How does he explain this to his mother?

6. How does Palmer react when the gang tell him they believe he has a pigeon for a pet? What does Palmer want the gang to believe and why?

7. Palmer finally becomes old enough to read the inscription on his father's trophy in the den. What did he pretend it said when he was younger? What does it really say? How does Palmer respond to learning what the words actually are?

8. How does Palmer come up with the name for his pigeon? What do people feel about animals when they name them? How does Palmer feel about his pigeon?

9. What does Beans pull out of the freezer when the gang is at his house? What does he do with it? The author does not tell us how Palmer feels about what Beans has done. Based on what you know of Palmer, how does he feel about the prank?

10. How do Palmer's parents react to The Treatment?

(see the answer keys)

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