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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 is Mother's reply when she is asked what the Angel of the Lord is supposed to do?
(a) She says that the Angel of the Lord had brought the good news to the shepherds.
(b) She says that the Angel of the Lord is there to reflect the lights with her sequined costume.
(c) She says that the Angel of the Lord had warned the shepherds about Herod's treachery.
(d) She says that the Angel of the Lord is lowered slowly from the ceiling.

2. What reason does Mother finally give Mrs. Armstrong so that she can get off the phone and cook the pork chops?
(a) She says that she is tired of Mrs. Armstrong's calls at supper time.
(b) She says there is someone at the door.
(c) She says there is someone else on the other line.
(d) She says that her husband is hungry.

3. After completing research at the library, in what way do the Herdmans want to rewrite the pageant?
(a) They want the Wise Men to wear crowns.
(b) They want to hang streamers for Jesus's birthday.
(c) They want to plan a trip to Bethlehem.
(d) They want to hang Herod at the end.

4. Which character voices the concern that no one may come to see the pageant?
(a) Ralph.
(b) Father.
(c) Reverend Hopkins.
(d) Charlie.

5. What kinds of books does the narrator say are kept in the basement of the library?
(a) Dirty.
(b) Biology.
(c) Discarded.
(d) Health.

Short Answer Questions

1. When Father asks his family what had "finally happened to Herod" (50), what do they decide is the answer?

2. What topic do the Herdman siblings research during their first visit to the library?

3. When the narrator states how she has always felt about Herod, what is something she does NOT say?

4. Miss Graebner tells Mother that she can now retire because she has heard everything. What has she heard?

5. What statement does Mother make that causes the narrator to describe her words as "the biggest" of "all the lies she'd told so far" (68)?

Short Essay Questions

1. How is foreshadowing employed within the last two sentences of Chapter Six?

2. Discuss the significance of Mother's comment when she states to Father, "No, their chief instinct was to get Mary and the baby out of the barn. But even so, it was Herod they wanted to do away with, and Mary or Joseph. They picked out the right villain -- that must mean something" (50).

3. What evidence does the author provide for the conclusion that having the first meeting about the pageant after church is a poor decision?

4. What does the narrator understand about the Herdman siblings that Alice does not?

5. Discuss the significance of Mrs. Armstrong's comment to Mother when she says, "And then I always remind them that there are no small parts, only small actors" (25).

6. In what ways does the author depict Father as a funny man?

7. Discuss a moment in the narrative when the narrator thinks that her friend Alice is behaving badly.

8. Discuss how Mother's character is depicted as having unending supplies of patience and compassion.

9. In what ways does Mother display the qualities of fortitude and perseverance?

10. What kinds of transgressions do the Herdman siblings commit throughout the course of the pageant rehearsal period and how does the narrator know about these actions?

(see the answer keys)

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