Alexie Novel Practice Exam

How can the character of Arnold Spirit Jr. best be characterized?

• He is a stereotypical Native American teenager
• He is a hot-tempered teenager good at sports but quick to fight
• He is an intelligent, creative teenager who aspires to succeed
• He is a coward who is too weak to fight his own battles

Explain the significance of the title of the book

• He’s only a “part-time” Indian because he lives off the reservation
• Arnold is caught between the world of the “rez” and the “white” world
• It’s meant to be ironic because most of Arnold’s stories are lies
• There is no significance

What does basketball symbolize for Arnold?

• The power of positive thinking
• Hope for a better future
• His shortcomings and insecurities
• His rejection of his heritage

What happens to most Indians who stay on the Spokane Indian Reservation?

• They become future leaders of the tribe
• They become drunks and often cannot find jobs
• They all work at the casino
• They go on to college

Which of the factors below do all the deaths in the book have in common?

• Guns
• Alcohol
• Cars
• Fire

How can the first-person narration best be described in the book?

• The narration is crude and humorous to reflect a teenage boy’s voice
• The narration is reflective of an adult looking back on his life
• The narration is meant to symbolize Arnold’s rejection of his culture
• All the answers are correct

Which incident acts as a catalyst for Arnold wanting to attend Rearden?

• The death of his dog, Oscar
• Getting beaten up by the adult triplets
• Getting cut from the Wellpinit basketball team
• Finding his mother’s name written in his geometry book

Which pastime acts as a means for Arnold to reflect on his life?

• Basketball
• Reading comic books
• Drawing and sketching
• Writing cheesy romance novels

Which statement best describes Arnold’s relationship with Penelope?

• It is true love where they both have strong romantic feelings for each other.
• Arnold is using her to further separate himself from life on the reservation.
• Penelope is using him to anger her father and shock her friends at Reardan.
• They’re both using one another and it’s more a friendship than anything else.

What is the significance of Mary Runs Away’s death?

• It’s a symbol for the hopelessness of leaving the Rez.
• It reinforces Arnold’s decision to try to better himself.
• It’s the breaking point for Arnold’s mother and her sanity.
• It’s a cautionary tale of the dangers of trailers and large parties.