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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. At the start of Story Four, what reminds the narrator of his annual family vacations to Clear Lake, Michigan?
(a) Magazine article.
(b) Postcard.
(c) Commercial.
(d) Souvenir.

2. At their Michigan destination, what does the narrator say when the Old Man starts talking about going fishing?
(a) He says he can't wait to go fishing.
(b) He reminds his father that he forgot to pack his gear.
(c) He says he'll stay in the cabin reading comic books.
(d) He laments out loud that this is the worst trip ever.

3. How long does the narrator practice with his fighting top?
(a) Two hours.
(b) Two weeks.
(c) Two days.
(d) Two months.

4. Once the Shepherds get to the County Fair, Randy accompanies his mother to see what?
(a) The clown acts.
(b) A magic show.
(c) Some of the home crafts.
(d) The dogs and cats show.

5. What happens when, during the family's road trip, the Old Man refuses the opportunity to purchase gas at the last station?
(a) They run out of gas at the resort entrance and have to push the car in.
(b) They run out of gas, the radiatior overheats, and a tire goes flat, all at the same time.
(c) Mother yells at him until he does a u-turn and gets gas.
(d) They run out of gas and he has to hike back for some.

Short Answer Questions

1. What does the Old Man say every year when he and his family leave the County Fair?

2. What happens during the Old Man's favorite ride at the fair?

3. Because of the crowds, how far away from the County Fair does the narrator say his father has to park?

4. When the family finally arrives at their summer trip destination, what obstacles do they immediately encounter?

5. Which of the following do Randy and his brother NOT eat at the County Fair?

Short Essay Questions

1. What happens to the much anticipated Easter ham in Story One?

2. Who does most of the work when it's time to prepare for the narrator's annual vacation?

3. At the end of the Shepherd family's County Fair excursion, what is the Old Man's assessment?

4. What are some of the misadventures the family experiences on their drive to Michigan?

5. What is top spinning, and why are the boys of Warren G. Harding Elementary School so obsessed with this pastime?

6. Describe the conditions inside the car during the drive to Clear Lake, Michigan.

7. Where does the narrator find a top worthy of a battle against Scut Farkas, the school's bully and master top spinner?

8. Describe some of what makes the Shepherd family a traditional one.

9. Describe the sense of anticipation the Shepherd family members feel as they prepare to experience the County Fair. What is each family member looking forward to the most?

10. How does the house next door to the Shepherds transform after the Bumpus family moves in?

(see the answer keys)

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