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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 was Hughes's job on the ship across the ocean?

2. Who was Bruce?

3. What did "Negro" mean in the United States?

4. What did Hughes consider the "greatest Negro city in the world?"

5. Where did Hughes's ship land on Christmas eve in 1923?

Short Essay Questions

1. What was the ritual on the S.S. Malone when the ship crossed the equator?

2. What did Hughes notice about the way Mexicans and Negros were treated differently, particularly on his way home from Mexico to Cleveland, Ohio?

3. What were some of the sights and sounds Hughes witnessed upon entering New York waters? How did he react to them?

4. Where did Hughes find a more permanent job in Paris? What were his initial job duties? What important new perk did this job offer him?

5. After leaving college, what jobs did Hughes try to get? What job did he end up getting?

6. Who was Jocko? Where did he come from? Where did he live?

7. How did Hughes meet someone in Paris who helped him find a place to stay, and who was the person? What was the surprise Hughes found when he went up to his room?

8. Who did Hughes stand in line to see at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York? What did he think of the performance?

9. What kinds of things happened on board Hughes's ship from New York to Rotterdam? How were they different than the typical passage aboard the S.S. Malone?

10. How long did it take Hughes to find work in Paris? What job did he finally get? What was his pay?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Hughes decided to attend Lincoln University, an all black college, when he received a scholarship. How was his experience at Lincoln different than that of Columbia University? What did Hughes identify as a major problem at Lincoln, and what did he attempt to do about it? Was he successful?

Essay Topic 2

In the spring of 1927, the Mississippi River overflowed and caused flooding in cities all along its banks in the South. Discuss Hughes's trip South and his reactions to this part of the country particularly to the treatment of blacks in the South as epitomized by the events in Baton Rouge.

Essay Topic 3

During his time at college, Hughes was introduced to a woman, whose name he did not reveal, who would become his patron and allow him to write without fears of poverty. Discuss this woman and her relationship with Hughes. Describe her and her interest in Hughes and his writing. How did the two of them communicate with each other? How did the relationship finally end?

(see the answer keys)

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