"from Bad Boy" Study Guide

In the selection from Bad Boy, why does Walter feel a connection to the children he sees on the trolley?

• The children appear to Walter as if they, too, are trying to fit in with their friends.

• The children are from Walter’s neighborhood and share similar struggles.

• The children are on their way to the library, a place Walter loves.

• The children, like Walter, are readers who are carrying books.

In the selection from Bad Boy, what happens when Walter and his friends run into a group of girls exercising in the gym?

• The boys make fun of the girls for not being interested in basketball.

• The girls and boys dance together while Walter reads a poem aloud.

• The girls challenge the boys to do their exercises, but the boys cannot.

• The boys invite the girls to play basketball, but the girls do dancing exercises instead.

According to the selection from Bad Boy, what is Walter led to believe that boys should not do? Choose three options.

• dance

• exercise

• read books

• write poems

• follow hockey

• s

Which of the following statements best explains how Walter, the narrator of the selection from Bad Boy, feels about books?

• Walter values books because they provide comfort and escape.

• Walter is interested in books because the people he respects read them.

• Walter is passionate about books and will fight the older boys over them.

• Walter likes books but prefers “boy” activities, such as basketball and punchball.

If it is correct to say that Teresa is disgusted by a joke, then which of the following statements must be true? Base your answer on the meaning of disgusted.

• She thinks the joke is funny.

• She thinks the joke is stupid.

• She finds the joke unpleasant.

• She has heard the joke too often.

If Marla can correctly be described as desperate for an afternoon nap, which of the following must be true?

• She refuses to take an afternoon nap.

• She is too busy for an afternoon nap.

• She greatly desires an afternoon nap.

• She is about to wake up from an afternoon nap.

What is the most likely meaning of respected as it is used in the following sentence? Mrs. Evans is the most respected dance teacher in our town.

• fearful

• graceful

• admired

• expensive

In the selection from Bad Boy, why does Walter carry his books home from the library in a brown paper bag?

• He does not want the neighborhood boys to see that he likes reading. The text states, "When I brought a book home from the library, I would sometimes run into older kids who would tease me about my reading."

• He is embarrassed to be reading books that are too young for him. The text states, "Dorothy Dodson, daughter of the Wicked Witch, read books, and I knew she did, but she couldn’t stand me and was more than happy to tell me so on a number of occasions."

• He is unable to afford his own books, so the librarians give him bags of library books to take home. The text states, "Sometimes on rainy days I would sit in the library and read. The librarians always suggested books that were too young for me, but I still went on a regular basis."

• He does not want Dorothy to find any of his books because she would probably take them away from him. The text states, "I could never have afforded to buy the books and was pleased to have the library with its free supply."

What is the most likely reason why Walter, the narrator of Bad Boy, plays basketball and other sports?

• All of the kids in the neighborhood play sports. The text states, "I would play basketball in the morning with the boys who were just reaching their teens, and then stoop ball or punchball on the block with boys my age."

• Walter wants to impress girls, and playing sports gives him a way to show off to them. The text states, "There were two categories of friends in my life: those with whom I played ball and everyone else."

• People in Walter’s neighborhood look up to athletes and push boys to play sports. The text states, "Athletes were highly respected in the black community, and boys my age were encouraged to play some sport."

• Walter is a naturally gifted athlete. The text states, "Being a boy meant to me that I was not particularly like girls. Most of the girls I knew couldn’t play ball, and that excluded them from most of what I wanted to do with my life."

In the selection from Bad Boy, how does Walter change and grow after the incident with the girls in the gym?

• He discovers that he has a talent for writing poetry. The text states, "I was very comfortable being a boy, but there were times when the role was uncomfortable."

• He faces up to his friends and tells them about his love of reading. The text states, "When the girls had finished their dancing, they went through some stretching exercises. A teenager, Lorelle Henry, was leading the group, and she was pretty, so we sent a few woo-woos her way."

• He becomes interested in Lorelle Henry, the dancing girl from the gym. The text states, "They danced to music as a poem was being read."

• He decides to pursue another secret interest, despite his friends’ disapproval. The text states, "I liked dancing, too, but I had to pretend that I didn’t like it. No big deal. I was already keeping reading and writing poems a secret; I would just add dancing."