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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 says, "I don't love him nothing"?

2. Why is the tip of Monsieur Bayonne's finger hard?

3. Why doesn't James sit down when he finds a seat on the bus?

4. What would Ty rather have than syrup?

5. Who sleeps by the fireplace?

Short Essay Questions

1. What are some of the things that James and his mother pass before they arrive at the dentist's office?

2. How are the nights different now that Daddy is in the Army?

3. What does James imagine his mother is thinking about while they wait at the end of the gravel road during the opening of the book?

4. When the preacher asks the young man about his parents, what does the young man tell the preacher?

5. Why can't James sleep and what does he do when he is lying awake?

6. Why doesn't James look at the little girl while they are riding on the bus?

7. Where do Mama and James go to get warm and what does Mama do to make sure James has enough time to get warm?

8. Why does James look at the nurse all pitiful?

9. What kind of things does Mama consider crybaby stuff according to James?

10. Who finds out about James' toothache and what does this person do about it?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Throughout the story, The Sky is Gray, James and his mother are almost always together. Describe Octavia and James' relationship. Would you consider their relationship to be a normal mother/son connection? Why or why not? How does James feel about his mother? How does Octavia feel about her son? Why doesn't Octavia express her love for James and do you think she really loves him?

Essay Topic 2

In the story, The Sky is Gray, Mama takes James into a cafe to get warm and buy some food. After Mama and James get their food and start to eat, the man in the cafe asks Mama to dance. Mama ends up throwing the man against the wall. Why do you think Mama agreed to dance with the man when obviously she didn't want to? Why didn't Mama let James jump in to help her with the man? Why do you think Mama threw the man up against the wall? Why do you think the man asked Mama to dance in the first place?

Essay Topic 3

There are times in the story, The Sky is Gray where there is conflict between two or more of the characters. Name someone that James has a conflict with. Why does a conflict arise and how is it resolved? Name someone that Mama has a conflict with. Why does this conflict arise and how is it resolved? How do these two conflicts affect each character? Use specific examples in the book to support your views.

(see the answer keys)

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