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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. How does Pharoah work on his stutter?

2. Where does Urica live after her mother and sister were murdered?

3. What can Pharoah do in his secret place?

4. When does Pharoah realize something is wrong?

5. Who wants to know if Pharoah's cousin Dede will go out with him?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe the severity of Pharoah's speech impediment.

2. Describe the emotions of the project boys and the train passengers as a train passes while the boys search for snakes.

3. What are some of the serious problems with the construction of the Henry Horner homes?

4. What is LaJoe's expectations for Pharoah?

5. How does the teacher's strike of 1988 affect Pharoah?

6. How does Lafeyette's attitude change toward Rickey?

7. How is the character of Pharoah developed in the story by how he cannot lie to LaJoe?

8. What is the evidence the police collected against Jimmie Lee?

9. When Lafeyette is caught shoplifting, how does LaJoe react?

10. How are Dawn and Demetrius singled out and publicized?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Twenty years after the events in 1989 involving Pharoah and his drive for an education, America elected its first African-American President who, interestingly, got his first job working in the Chicago housing projects. Write an essay about how young people like Pharoah began seeing greater opportunities during the last two decades.

Essay Topic 2

Write an essay on the exploitation of children. Begin with the need for Lafeyette to grow old before his time. Expand that theme to child soldiers and sweatshop laborers. Discuss how and why this exploitation happens to children all over the world.

Essay Topic 3

Write a paper on the value of hope in life. Explain why it is important for people to believe figuratively in the gold and leprechauns at the end of the rainbow. What is the value of life without hope? Do you see it as logical that people who have no hope also have no sense of moral responsibility?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 820 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample