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This test consists of 5 multiple choice questions, 5 short answer questions, and 10 short essay questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What does the protagonist of "The First Day" wear in the opening scene?
(a) A blue-and-green cotton dress.
(b) Jeans and a t-shirt.
(c) A red jumper with a white blouse.
(d) A school uniform.

2. In "The First Day", what does the protagonist do as an "old, old game" between her and her mother?
(a) The protagonist squeezes her mother's hand too tight.
(b) The protagonist pretends to refuse a kiss.
(c) The protagonist presses her mother's lips together.
(d) The protagonist bats her eyelashes.

3. What type of job does Manny offer to Caesar to tide him over until he succeeds with his heist?
(a) Busing tables.
(b) Security.
(c) Bartending.
(d) Trash detail.

4. In "The Girl Who Raised Pigeons," how many years pass before Betsy Ann wants to see the pigeons again?
(a) 2.
(b) 15.
(c) 3.
(d) 10.

5. How does Betsy Ann's father get to work in the morning?
(a) By car.
(b) By bus.
(c) By train.
(d) By taxicab.

Short Answer Questions

1. What does the protagonist of "The First Day" notice as her mother walks away?

2. What is the last thing the protagonist hears of her mother as she starts class in "The First Day"?

3. Who accompanies Betsy Ann on her trips to retrieve her pigeons?

4. Which elementary school does the protagonist's mother want her to attend in "The First Day"?

5. To what does the narrator compare the first set of baby pigeons?

Short Essay Questions

1. In "The First Day", how does the protagonist's mother prepare her for the first day of school?

2. Describe the conditions in which Betsy Ann's cousin Ralph grows up.

3. What do the pigeons symbolize?

4. How does Rhonda Ferguson's father treat Cassandra?

5. How does Cassandra response to Roger's attempt to rape Melanie?

6. Discuss Caesar's feelings for Carol.

7. What does Betsy Ann do to lose her father's trust? Why does he become so angry?

8. Discuss the girls' encounter with Pearl and Joyce. What unconventional decision have they made?

9. What is the central difference between Caesar and Sherman?

10. How does Cassandra respond to teachers' attempts to set her straight?

(see the answer keys)

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