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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 time frame did the author always imagine himself walking through New York in?

2. What has replaced an entire block of drugstores and candy shops in the neighborhood?

3. What was the greatest mystery about the Soloveys?

4. What did the author experience when reading the words of the little blue book?

5. During the summer, children sleep somewhere other than their beds in Brownsville. Where do they sleep?

Short Essay Questions

1. What led the author to fantasize about Mrs. Solovey every night before bed?

2. The author and his mother take a day trip to a local attraction. Where did they go and what did they experience?

3. What did the second hand furniture shops remind the author of?

4. Why is the idea of "beyond' so important to the author?

5. The Soloveys were a couple no one could figure out. What about their marriage, specifically, was so mysterious?

6. The author gave Mrs. Solovey an alternative name -- what was the name and why did he give it to her?

7. Mr. Solovey wasn't the most likable person in the neighborhood. What didn't people like about him?

8. Where did the author's walks take him when he walked to the edge of Brownsville?

9. What did the author do after the other boys had gone inside and why?

10. When Mrs. Solovey makes a visit to the author's home, she engages the author in conversation but soon becomes frustrated. Why does she become frustrated?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The author speaks of his connection and disconnect with his faith. In what ways does he feel he had a lack of knowledge of faith and God? Does he feel compelled to continue his observance of the faith? What drives this?

Essay Topic 2

Who does the author discover in the last section that makes the most impact on him? How does the author's discovery of this person lead him to even stronger feelings of "beyond' being attainable?

Essay Topic 3

The author felt the most joy in a place where he felt the most uncomfortable. Explore the idea of the author's constant struggle with feeling like an outsider or an alien.

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This section contains 1,009 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample