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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 unusual physical characteristic did Bryson's uncle have?

2. What became the joy of every family in the 1950s?

3. Where did Bryson like to accompany his father because there was always the chance of injury for excitement?

4. In what state did the military begin testing atomic bombs?

5. What could take Bryson a whole morning to do on the weekends?

Short Essay Questions

1. What importance did comic books have in the lives of Bryson and most other kids in the 1950s?

2. What was the only real danger in town and how did the Thunderbolt Kid take care of the situation?

3. What were some of the ways that boys could see glimpses of naked women?

4. What sorts of things did Bryson and other kids do to help pass the long days?

5. Describe a typical experience of Bryson's family stopping to see his mother's family every time they went on vacation.

6. What was Bryson's mother's main personality quirk?

7. What behaviors did teenagers exhibit in the 1950s?

8. What businesses came about as the result of more cars in America?

9. What were some of the regulations about sex in the 1950s?

10. How did the Thunderbolt Kid get his powers and what were the circumstances of the Thunderbolt Kid getting his costume?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Bryson had respect for all of the people in the book but do you think he likes any one of them more than the others? Who would you choose to be your new friend among the people Bryson introduced in the book. Explain.

Essay Topic 2

There are several events of foreshadowing in the stories. Define foreshadowing. Cite at least two situations in the stories that serve as foreshadowing.

Essay Topic 3

Create a character study of Bryson's parents. What were their physical characteristics? What were their motivations? What were their fears? What were their dreams? What else can you say about Bryson's parents?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,157 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample