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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 else was in Ava's dream?

2. What happens when Eddie and Ava are stopped?

3. What does Joyce feel is part of her mission with the girls?

4. What does the new preacher's wife do on Sunday?

5. How does Ava feel about the Sewing Circus being held at the house the night she got her medicine?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Ava do with Aretha and how does Ava feel about it?

2. What does Ava think about the lifestyle that gave her HIV and for what does she grieve?

3. What do the doctors say about Imani?

4. How does Joyce demonstrate condoms and what happens while she's doing it?

5. Describe the dream Ava has in Eddie's garden.

6. Why has Mattie come to Joyce's house and what happens?

7. How did Joyce's decision to host the Sewing Circus turn out?

8. Who visits Joyce regularly and what do they do?

9. What problem with the state does Joyce have and what does she decide to do about it?

10. Who meets Ava at the airport and why?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The summer has reached its climax for the main characters. The author has positioned each of the characters in the way of tremendous conflict so that each may know what matters most to them, and what they are prepared to do when threat emerges.

1. What do you think is meant by this statement? Use examples from the text and your own life to support your answer.

2. What do you think Joyce should do about Imani? Use examples from the text and your own life to support your answer.

3. Why do you think Ava would run when Eddie asks her to marry? Use examples from the book to support your answer.

Essay Topic 2

Since their mother's death, Joyce and Ava refer to suicide as a "tumble" because that's how a pamphlet on grief had described it, making the point that anytime there is danger of a person going over an emotional edge, any source of comfort is justified.

1. What do you think is meant by this statement? Use examples from the text and your own life to support your answer.

2. The word "tumble" here implies something that happens quickly. Do you think a person falls into despair or depression quickly? Why or why not?

3. Ava and Joyce using the word tumble to describe their mother's emotions that led to suicide seems flippant. Do you agree? Why or why not? Why do you think they refer to the incident like this?

Essay Topic 3

Cleage makes the case for an alternate view on the stereotypes assigned to black people by introducing people like Joyce, Ava and Eddie, whose goodness may be challenged at times but is always at the core of what they do.

1. What do you think is meant by this statement? Use examples from the text and your own life to support your answer.

2. What do you think people can do to not judge others by stereotypes? Use examples from the text and your own life to support your answer.

3. How do you think stereotypes get started and how can they be stopped? Use examples from the text and your own life to support your answer.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,109 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample