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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. What does Dorothy do on Palmer's birthday?

2. What does Palmer hear that lets him know the visitors are gone?

3. At the end of the day, why does Palmer feel he can smile?

4. What does Palmer's dad get for him?

5. With what does Palmer play in his room alone?

Short Essay Questions

1. What curious thing does Palmer notice at the Titans baseball game? What does it remind him of?

2. What does Palmer find written on the icing of his cake later in the evening of his birthday? Who does he believe wrote it? What does he think it means?

3. After refusing The Treatment and leaving the gang, Palmer again places Nipper's needs above his. What does he decide to do next?

4. Palmer is not excited on his birthday, not thrilled with presents or the presence of his friends. Many things hang heavy in his mind. What are some of the things that are troubling Palmer on his tenth birthday?

5. When Palmer refuses The Treatment from Farquar, what does he tell Beans when he is screaming at him? Why does he run from the gang then? What does Beans yell to Palmer as he is running away?

6. In Chapter 29, what is Dorothy's solution to Palmer's problem? What does she do, and how does Palmer react?

7. Why does Palmer begin to question his real reasons for sending Nipper away? What does he come to understand?

8. How does Palmer notice his father communicates with hum during Family Fest week? How does he describe this new communication?

9. When the gang finds out from Palmer what he did in school to deserve an after-school punishment, how do they react? How does Palmer feel? What else does he do in order to stay in school a little longer?

10. Palmer explains to Dorothy that he is conflicted about school ending. What is the conflict he feels? At the end of the chapter, the narrator says "But another school was about to begin." Can you guess what this school is, and why it is beginning?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

How does Palmer describe the time in his life when things began to change and he realizes he does not want to be a wringer? How does this realization change his life?

Essay Topic 2

Compare and contrast Palmer's relationship with Dorothy and his relationship with the gang. How do the two (Dorothy and the gang) help Palmer to feel important? How do the two bring out the different sides of Palmer?

Essay Topic 3

Dorothy is a main character running throughout the book. Discuss Palmer's different feelings about and reactions toward Dorothy and how they change throughout the story. How does he ultimately feel about their friendship?

(see the answer keys)

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