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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 does Mother blame in private for being so poor?

2. What is strange about what Paul makes his first bet on with his Uncle?

3. Who does Mother say gave Paul what she needs from him?

4. What disintegrates shortly after Mother gets married?

5. What do Paul and Barrett often talk about?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is Paul's main motivation in life?

2. What is strange about Paul's first bet at the horse races?

3. What does Paul invite Oscar to do while at the races?

4. How does Paul play with his favorite toy?

5. What does Joan tell Oscar about Paul?

6. What does Mother consider her biggest mistake?

7. How does Oscar respond when he sees what Paul's first bet at the horse races is?

8. Why is Mother's poverty so frustrating to her?

9. How does Oscar feel when he sees Paul playing with his favorite toy?

10. Why is Barrett so hesitant to talk to Oscar?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

What are your feelings about luck after reading this story, and how did the importance placed on luck by the main characters in this book change that ideal?

Essay Topic 2

The characters in this book all had their own goals and motivations. Select four characters and write their main motivation throughout the book, and how this goal affected the characters around them.

Essay Topic 3

Where did irony occur in the winning race, and how did this affect the tone of the book?

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