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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. At what point does the narrator realize they are halfway to their Michigan destination?

2. Who is Scut Farkas?

3. After being greeted by a woman wearing a black shawl, what does the narrator ask for?

4. When a crowd of kids gathers around the narrator and Farkas as they battle it out with their fancy spinning tops, what is the collective wish?

5. How does the Old Man feel about the farming exhibits at the County Fair?

Short Essay Questions

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

2. Describe some of the interesting sights the four members of the Shepherd family see while they are together at the County Fair.

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

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

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

6. How does the Old Man handle all the problems the family encounters en route to Michigan?

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

8. Summarize how Mother prepares the traditional Easter ham.

9. Which member of the narrator's family seems to be the most excited at the County Fair?

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

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Using examples from the book, explain how the narrator benefits when he applies, or engages in, the following:

a. Self-discipline

b. Family traditions

c. Challenging the status quo

Essay Topic 2

The book's time line covers the narrator's childhood and teen years. How does the narrator change, develop, and grow from the beginning to the end of the book? In what ways do the stories evolve? In what instances does the author seem to act about the same as a teenager as he did as a child?

Essay Topic 3

On their annual trip to Michigan, the narrator and his family encounter one obstacle after another. Despite their ups and downs, the family members are able to stay excited about their vacation. As an adult, the narrator says these vacations were very memorable. Explain why adversity in life creates memories, using examples from the book and from your own experience.

(see the answer keys)

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