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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. What did Palmer notice Mutto was carrying in his pocket on the way home from school?

2. How does the narrator describe Palmer's loneliness after Nipper is gone?

3. What does Dorothy suggest Palmer do to end his problem of not wanting to be a wringer?

4. Why does Palmer run upstairs after hearing about the cat?

5. How does Palmer explain where he was when the gang came to his room the night before?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does Palmer begin to question his real reasons for sending Nipper away? What does he come to understand?

2. When Palmer refuses The Treatment from Farquar, what does he tell Beans when he is screaming at him? Why does he run from the gang then? What does Beans yell to Palmer as he is running away?

3. After refusing The Treatment and leaving the gang, Palmer again places Nipper's needs above his. What does he decide to do next?

4. Palmer makes his plan to avoid confrontation with Beans and Mutto on the night of his birthday. What is his plan, and does it work?

5. What example have Palmer and Nipper set for the children in the town? How can he tell his experience with Nipper has changed people's lives?

6. When Palmer attends the pigeon shoot this year, what does he come to realize about his memories of shoots from years passed?

7. When the gang finds out from Palmer what he did in school to deserve an after-school punishment, how do they react? How does Palmer feel? What else does he do in order to stay in school a little longer?

8. Palmer explains to Dorothy that he is conflicted about school ending. What is the conflict he feels? At the end of the chapter, the narrator says "But another school was about to begin." Can you guess what this school is, and why it is beginning?

9. Palmer is not excited on his birthday, not thrilled with presents or the presence of his friends. Many things hang heavy in his mind. What are some of the things that are troubling Palmer on his tenth birthday?

10. Why does Palmer choose Henry to invite up to his room to prove Nipper is no longer there? What happens between them when Henry is in Palmer's room?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

How does Palmer describe the time in his life when things began to change and he realizes he does not want to be a wringer? How does this realization change his life?

Essay Topic 2

Compare Palmer's ninth birthday party and that of his tenth. What things are similar? What things are different? Does Palmer seem more or less mature on his tenth birthday? Why?

Essay Topic 3

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?

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