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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. Where does Palmer imagine Beans lives?

2. What are some of the things Palmer apologizes for?

3. What story do people tell about Arthur at the pigeon shoot one summer before he is a wringer?

4. When Palmer asks his mother why the boy wrung the pigeon's neck, what does she say?

5. What does Palmer hear in his dream on the night of his birthday?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Palmer react in Chapter 13 when he is awakened by tapping? Who does he think is at the window? What does he find?

2. 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?

3. What scene do Mutto, Beans and Henry enact at the park? How does Palmer react to their display? Why does he react this way?

4. 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?

5. 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?

6. Beans begins to escalate the treestumping of Dorothy to get a reaction from her, but she gives him none. His cruel behavior escalates until Dorothy finally does react. What is her reaction, and how does this affect Palmer?

7. How does Palmer resolve his problems of meeting his friends at the cannon on the day of the pigeon shoot? Why? What do we learn about Palmer?

8. 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?

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

10. In Chapter Three, Palmer joins his new friends out on the street. When Beans asks about Dorothy, Palmer does not answer at first. How does Palmer initially react to the gang's behavior toward Dorothy? Why does he join them as they run down the street after their prank?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The novel ends with the words of a small child. What are those words, and why are they important? What do the words mean to Palmer?

Essay Topic 2

Palmer notices that after letting Nipper leave, he is less anxious and tense. However, he also realizes the price he has paid for that relief. Discuss the price Palmer feels he has paid by letting Nipper leave.

Essay Topic 3

In Chapter 32, Palmer makes an important observation about Henry. What is the observation, and how does it affect Palmer's behavior? Do you think Palmer's observation is correct?

(see the answer keys)

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