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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 guards the blackbird?

2. Who does the old scout meet before joining the parade?

3. Who brings up the phrase "Double Nigger" in the story by the same title?

4. What does the billboard in "Fon" say?

5. Who was in the valley of dry bones, according to Headye?

Short Essay Questions

1. What do the crew pull out of the water in "Ark of Bones"?

2. What famous tragedy do the characters in "The Crossing" reference?

3. In "Will the Circle Be Unbroken," what instrument does Probe play and how did he get it?

4. How do the police treat the main characters in "Strike and Fade"?

5. Why does Layton's grandmother tell him to give the white man who comes to collect money the good water in "Goodbye, Sweetwater"?

6. Who is Layton waiting for in "Goodbye, Sweetwater"?

7. In "Rope of Wind," what happens to the prisoner at the end?

8. In "Double Nigger," what are the characters desperate for?

9. What seems to be the purpose of the work the men on the ark do in "Ark of Bones"?

10. What are Layton Fields' aspirations in "A Boll of Roses"?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

What do you think Dumas means the man in the river to symbolize in the story "The University of Man," and why do you think so? Write an essay explaining your answers, citing specific references to the text to help support your conclusions.

Essay Topic 2

If you knew nothing about Dumas's biographical background and only read this collection, what would your impression as a reader be about his perception of police in general in the United States? Write an essay explaining your answers, citing specific references to the text to help support your conclusions.

Essay Topic 3

What relationship does Dumas draw between the topics of frustration, oppression, and racism in this collection? Write an essay explaining your answers, citing specific references to the text to help support your conclusions.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 584 words (approx. 2 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample