The Outsiders Chapter 3

1. As they are used in paragraph 1, the words rank and tuff could be reworded,

respectively, as—

• important and strong

• tops and violent

• bad and outdated

• terrible and great

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2. The lines “I don’t mean half of what I’m saying” and “I’ll rave about one just to

be saying something” suggest that Cherry is —

• self-aware

• sophisticated

• conceited

• naive

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3. Which of these means the opposite of the word aloofness as it is used in

paragraph 5?

• falseness

• carelessness

• friendliness

• kindness

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4. Ponyboy most likely tells Cherry about Soda’s horse Mickey Mouse because he —

• wants to make a good impression on her

• feels comfortable talking to her

• hopes she will buy the horse back for Soda

• thinks she looks down on him

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5. What does Soda’s horse symbolize for Ponyboy?

• the lack of love from his parents

• his affection for his brother

• things that are unattainable for greasers

• Soda’s strength and intelligence

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6. Ponyboy does not tell Cherry about Soda’s reaction to losing the horse because —

• he is afraid she would laugh at Soda

• he does not want Cherry’s pity

• he considers this too private to share

• he is afraid he will cry if he tells her

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7. In paragraph 14, Ponyboy’s statement You’re not so smart at ten refers to his —

• desire to help his brother if he can

• crying over someone else’s loss

• belief that Soda should have confided in his parents

• unrealistic ideas about money

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8. Which of the following lines expresses a theme of the passage?

• I think they were still half-scared of us.

• Nobody but Soda could really get me talking.

• You’re not so smart at ten.

• We saw the same sunset.

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9. How does Soda’s experience with Mickey Mouse emphasize a critical difference

between the Socs and the greasers? Support your answer with evidence from

the selection.

Answer explanation

Answers will vary. A good answer will note that Cherry has described being a

Soc as “having more than you wanted” and always “looking for something

else to want.” Soda’s experience with the horse shows how vastly different

the greasers’ world is from that of the Socs. Far from having more than he

wanted, Soda loses his most prized “possession.” At twelve years old, he

knows not to tell his parents how he feels because he realizes how much

beyond their means buying a horse would be. Soda “knows the score,” and

that is that many things are simply unattainable for those in his

neighborhood.

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What makes Cherry conclude that Ponyboy must “read a lot”? Support your

answer with evidence from the selection.

Answer explanation

Answers will vary. A good answer will suggest that Cherry has been able to

have a conversation with Ponyboy that is deeper than conversations she has

had with anyone else (“You’re the first person I’ve ever really gotten through to.”). She sees that Ponyboy is perceptive and also sensitive when he relates

the story about Soda’s horse. This leads Cherry to conclude that Ponyboy

must be a reader, a person who thinks deeply about things.

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