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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. How many different colors does Palmer count on the pigeon while the bird eats?
(a) Eight.
(b) Five.
(c) Eighteen.
(d) Twenty.

2. With whom does Palmer attend his second pigeon shoot?
(a) His aunt and cousins.
(b) His mother and father.
(c) Dorothy Gruzik.
(d) Beans, Mutto and Henry.

3. What playground equipment do Palmer and the gang play on the afternoon of his party?
(a) The slide.
(b) The merry-go-gound.
(c) Nothing.
(d) The see-saw.

4. What new experience does Palmer have when falling asleep after talking to his mother?
(a) He falls asleep and has nightmares about snow.
(b) He falls asleep and dreams about pigeons.
(c) He does not sleep alone, his pigeon is sleeping in his room.
(d) He does not fall asleep, worried that his pigeon will peck on him.

5. Why does Nipper fly around the house once or twice before flying away in the morning?
(a) To set the compass in his head in order to return.
(b) To look for other pigeons before leaving.
(c) To tease Beans and the rest of the gang.
(d) To say goodbye to Palmer.

Short Answer Questions

1. What does Palmer give Beans for his birthday?

2. How does Palmer describe the weeks following his birthday?

3. What name does Palmer give his pigeon?

4. What are some of the things Palmer apologizes for?

5. In Palmer's dream, what does a pigeon's eye look like?

Short Essay Questions

1. In Chapter Three, Palmer joins his new friends out on the street. When Beans asks about Dorothy, Palmer does not answer at first. How does Palmer initially react to the gang's behavior toward Dorothy? Why does he join them as they run down the street after their prank?

2. When the boys find Farquar, he is on the soccer field and all but Palmer rush over to see him. Why does Palmer lag behind? What is he experiencing walking onto the field?

3. How does Palmer react in Chapter 13 when he is awakened by tapping? Who does he think is at the window? What does he find?

4. What are some of Palmer's memories of his first pigeon shoot? What does this tell us about Palmer?

5. In Chapter 15, Palmer goes through a series of emotional reactions to the pigeon tapping on his window. What are some of those reactions?

6. How does Palmer resolve his problems of meeting his friends at the cannon on the day of the pigeon shoot? Why? What do we learn about Palmer?

7. Palmer comes home after the boys see a pigeon flying overhead and he cries. Why is he crying? What does he admit about his day?

8. When Palmer returns from Beans' birthday party he finds Dorothy waiting in his room. She sarcastically calls him Snots and talks about his gang. What does she say, and what does she really mean?

9. When the gang attacks Dorothy with snow balls on the first day of school, Palmer joins in without hesitation. How does he rationalize his behavior toward her?

10. Once he has decided to name and keep Nipper, Palmer realizes he must divert the gang from coming to his house. Why does he want to keep the boys away? What are some of the excuses he invents?

(see the answer keys)

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