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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 does Aunt Tiny always do when she visits?

2. Where does Aunt Tiny work as a hairdresser?

3. What does Yolanda snack on during the car trip?

4. What does Yolanda do when she notices three men looking at her mother in the restaurant?

5. What does Yolanda realize as she is watching musicians unload their instruments?

Short Essay Questions

1. What happens that gives Yolanda an idea about how to get back stage?

2. Why doesn't there seem to be any way back stage?

3. What does Momma say in reply to Yolanda saying Andrew is a genius and needs a special school?

4. What happens when Yolanda notices three men eying her momma?

5. Why does Yolanda not say goodbye to anyone when her family is leaving to go visit Aunt Tiny?

6. What does Yolanda do when she sees two female security guards?

7. What "epiphany" does Yolanda have when she is at the park?

8. What does Yolanda do when she sees the bullies in Asphalt Hill?

9. What does Aunt Tiny do for a living, and how does that help Yolanda's family?

10. Why does Yolanda volunteer to reserve her family's seats for the concert that evening?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Titles often play a vital role in making a person decide to read a particular book. Discuss the following:

1. Fully explain why you think "Yolonda's Genius" is titled as such. Do you think it is the best title for the book? Why or why not? Can you think of a better title? Why would you choose it?

2. How important is a title in influencing you to consider reading a book? Explain your answer.

3. Do you think a title needs to have direct relevance to a book's content? Explain your answer.

4. Have you ever read a book that when you finished, you do not understand the relevance of the title? Does it discourage you from "trusting" that particular author again?

Essay Topic 2

Often, authors will write about "what they know," and sometimes knowing a little about the author makes the books more interesting. Discuss the following:

1. Research and give a brief biographical sketch of Carol Fenner.

2. What in Carol Fenner's background may have helped her in writing "Yolonda's Genius"? What may have influenced the way she depicts various characters and scenes?

3. Do you think there is always some of the author's own life in his/her novels? Why or why not? Give examples.

Essay Topic 3

Discuss one of the following:

1. Define irony in literary terms. Discuss the irony of the situation of how Yolanda is prejudice towards a white girl and thinks stereotypically when most people think of racism in the United States as being white prejudice towards blacks.

2. Define symbolism in literary terms. Discuss the use and meaning of five symbols you choose to analyze from "Yolonda's Genius". What do they symbolize? Is the symbolism obvious? Effective? Does the symbolism contribute to the enjoyment of reading?

3. Discuss five literary devices that occur in "Yolonda's Genius" and how they are used. Are they effective? Do they add or detract from the reading of the book? Why or why not. Some possible techniques: allusion, connotation, denouement, dialogue, flashback, figurative language, motif, metaphor, narrator, point of view, simile, mood, and puns.

(see the answer keys)

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