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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. Who does Grandma Dowdel tell Mary Alice and Joey that the stovepipe hat in the attic once belonged to in the beginning of "Things with Wings"?

2. Who comes in to demand her daughter's wages at the Coffee Cup Cafe in "The Phantom Brakeman"?

3. How much does it cost to attend the local picture show on Wednesdays in Grandma Dowdel's town?

4. Who from the Ladies' Hospitality Committee for the Centennial Celebration has fallen ill with a "nervous condition" in "Centennial Summer"?

5. How old is Vandalia in "The Phantom Brakeman"?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is the significance of Nehi sodas in “The Phantom Brakeman”?

2. What is implied by the conversation between Joey and Grandma at the end of “The Phantom Brakeman”?

3. What exchange do Mary Alice and Joey witness between Vandalia Eubanks and her mother at the Coffee Pot Cafe in “The Phantom Brakeman”?

4. What noise does Joey hear from Mary Alice's bedroom at night in “The Phantom Brakeman”?

5. What fight breaks out during the parade in “Centennial Summer"? How is the fight resolved?

6. How is Uncle Grady Griswold described in “Centennial Summer"?

7. What image of Grandma Dowdel is described by Joey when he sees her in “The Troop Train"?

8. How is the theme of family illustrated in “The Troop Train"?

9. What childhood dream is Joey Dowdel pursuing in “The Troop Train"? How?

10. How old are Mary Alice and Joey when they visit Grandma Dowdel in “Centennial Summer"? How have they grown as characters?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Why does Grandma Dowdel switch the labels on the pies in "The Day of Judgment"? Does Grandma Dowdel achieve her objective by committing this action? Why or why not? How does Joey perceive Grandma Dowdel's action in switching the labels?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the character of Mary Alice in the short stories. How old is Mary Alice when she first visits Grandma Dowdel? How does Mary evolve as a character in the course of the narrative? What impact do the visits to Grandma's house have on Mary Alice?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the theme of forbidden love in “The Phantom Brakeman.” What character embody this theme? Why is their love forbidden? How do these characters overcome the obstacles that they face from the community?

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This section contains 900 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample