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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 happened to black men who dated white women?

2. What does Ruth say God is?

3. What does Ruth say she was starved of?

4. Where does James' mother work?

5. What do the muggers spill on the sidewalk?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why did James think his mother was strange?

2. What happens to James when his mother forgets to pick him up from kindergarten?

3. Why is Chapter 2 written in italics?

4. How does Sam's leaving home affect Ruth?

5. Describe the cool father at the end of Chapter 4.

6. Describe James' brother, Dennis.

7. How does Ruth's family react to her pregnancy?

8. Describe what happens when Ruth asks James to take the milk back to the shop.

9. Describe Ruth's school years.

10. How did Ruth and her family live in America when they first arrived?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Examine McBride's writing style. How would you describe his prose style? What kind of vocabulary does he use? Does he use any specific writing techniques? What meaning does McBride's style give to his story?

Essay Topic 2

Compare the characters of Hunter Jordan and Andrew McBride.

1) What attracted both of them to Ruth?

2) How did they both improve Ruth's life?

3) What were their similarities and differences?

Essay Topic 3

Identify the main themes of the story. Why do you think these themes are so important to the story? How does McBride use character and setting to express his themes?

(see the answer keys)

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