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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. Which of the following is not something the narrator claims gives him inspiration in his writing life?

2. What does Joey's Aunt Hurlecka keep in the pockets of her apron?

3. What does Joey find inside Zuta's tennis shoe that makes his heart beat quickly?

4. Which of the following laws does the narrator claim demands a preface?

5. What does the narrator claim all stories are broken down into?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Mrs. Youngblood react when she sees Zuta walking down the street with a boy she doesn't know?

2. What does the narrator of the novel believe is the worst form of torture in the world?

3. How does Auntie feel about the budding friendship between Valek and Kneadus?

4. What does the narrator of the novel think about symmetry?

5. What causes the epileptic seizure that frightens the crowd of spectators at the tennis match?

6. How does Kneadus react when he sees the farmhand he has been searching for working at Auntie's house?

7. Why does Joey create a peephole between his bedroom and Zuta's bedroom?

8. How does Zuta react when Kopyrda sneaks through her bedroom window?

9. What does Joey see when he spies on the Youngblood family as they get ready for the morning in the bathroom?

10. What motivation does the narrator say he has for wanting to be a storyteller?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

When Joey is alone with Zuta he has a difficult time communicating with her. Choose at least two scenes in which Joey finds himself unable to physically communicate with Zuta. How does Joey unleash the frustration he feels at his ineptitude? Then, explain how each of these scenes highlights the different levels of maturity and character growth in Joey and Zuta.

Essay Topic 2

Zuta is described as being a "modern" schoolgirl. First, describe the character of Zuta. What makes her different from the other schoolgirls in her grade? Then, explain what it means to be "modern" in Zuta's society. Is modernity something one is born with or can it be learned? Choose at least two examples of scenes from the text that you believe best exemplify and strengthen your argument and describe those scenes in this essay.

Essay Topic 3

At various places in the novel, the prose is broken up with chunks of poetry or quotes from other published authors. First, choose at least two of these quotes from the novel and explain their significance within the story. Then, explain what is accomplished in the novel overall by including these secondary texts. Do you think the goal is accomplished?

(see the answer keys)

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