View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. How many games is the team playing in Boston in Chapter 17?

2. What reason does Henry give to Katie for his lack of concern in losing his insurance job?

3. Besides catching, which other aspect of the game does Red teach Bruce?

4. How old is Goose, prompting a celebration in Chapter 16?

5. How many players know about Bruce's illness at the end of Chapter 13?

Short Essay Questions

1. What surprises does Bruce receive to celebrate his birthday?

2. Which reasons does Henry have for rejecting Katie's offer again, and what causes the detectives to visit Henry's room later at a celebration?

3. What happens after a rained out game when Bruce goes to the hospital?

4. What is significant about the games of Tegwar Bruce is playing in Chapter 13?

5. How does Henry respond to Katie's threat and offer in Chapter 12?

6. Which actions does Dutch take in an attempt to fix some of the Mammoth's problems?

7. What does Dutch do when he finally discovers Bruce's condition in Chapter 14?

8. How does Goose find out about Bruce's illness?

9. How is the team doing with the new coaching and awareness of Bruce's condition?

10. Which question does Dutch repeatedly ask Bruce, and why?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Bang the Drum Slowly ends with Henry's decision to live life with new priorities.

1) Describe the changes that have taken place in Henry throughout the book.

2) Explain how Bruce has caused Henry to understand which things are really important in his life.

3) Analyze the new outlook that Henry has on life and the future.

Essay Topic 2

Bruce's illness demonstrates how a crisis can often bring out the best in even the most unlikely characters.

1) Describe the reaction of the other players on the team to Bruce's illness.

2) Explain which characters change the most and why the change could be considered surprising.

3) Analyze how a tragic situation can bring out the best in people in life.

Essay Topic 3

Analyze three examples of symbolism in Bang the Drum Slowly. Include a description of each symbol, how it appears in the book, and what it represents for the characters and/or the plot.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 821 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample