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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. Wanting to beat Scut Farkas at his game, what does the narrator do?
(a) Reads a book written by a master top spinner.
(b) Spies on Farkas to see how he does it.
(c) Gets Flick to teach him new techniques.
(d) Sets up a practice schedule to hone his skills.

2. What does the Old Man admire about his favorite ride at the County Fair?
(a) It's a fine piece of machinery.
(b) It's just the right length.
(c) It makes him feel like a teenager again.
(d) Very few dare to get on such a wild ride.

3. Where does the Bumpus family like to go shopping?
(a) City dump.
(b) Garage sales.
(c) Farmers' market.
(d) Thrift store.

4. What do the Old Man and Mother do well into the night in preparation for their Michigan trip?
(a) Go over the route they plan to take and their alternate route.
(b) Go over their list and take account of all their travel supplies.
(c) Unplug and double-check every appliance in their home.
(d) Write detailed house care instructions for their neighbors.

5. Halfway along the journey to Michigan, what does the narrator realize he forgot to pack?
(a) Alarm clock.
(b) Comic book collection.
(c) Fishing gear.
(d) Camera.

Short Answer Questions

1. What does the Old Man do two weeks prior to the family's departure for their annual Michigan vacation?

2. What marks the start of the Shepherd-Bumpus feud?

3. What does Farkas mean when he challenges the narrator to play for keeps?

4. In Story One, what sport does Delbert disrupt in gym class?

5. When a new family moves into the house next door to the narrator, what singer's record do they play in the middle of the night?

Short Essay Questions

1. Summarize how Mother prepares the traditional Easter ham.

2. How does the Old Man feel towards the Bumpus family?

3. What is the final outcome of the battle of the spinning tops between Scut Farkas and the narrator?

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

5. How do the brothers behave at the County Fair?

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

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

8. Describe the race that the Old Man and the narrator watch at the County Fair.

9. How does the author lead the narrator into telling the story of his top-spinning battle with Scut Farkas?

10. What happens after the narrator uses a dummy top and lets Farkas win the first round?

(see the answer keys)

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