The Story of a Bad Boy

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

• Walter is a naturally gifted athlete.

• All of the kids in the neighborhood play sports.

• People in Walter’s neighborhood look up to athletes and push boys to play sports.

• All the kids in the neighborhood read books and write poems.

With which of the following statements would the narrator of Bad Boy most likely agree?

• Boys should not be encouraged to play basketball or other sports.

• Reading is the most interesting and rewarding activity for boys.

• Boys should be allowed to pursue whatever interests them.

• All boys should play sports.

Which of the following statements is a central idea in the selection from Bad Boy?

• If you organize your friends into categories, you might lose them.

• People often have sides of themselves that they do not let others see.

• Making fun of people in “harmless” ways can have lasting negative effects.

• You can discover what you are interested in by exercising.

Which quotation directly expresses a central idea about books in the selection from Bad Boy?

• Away from books I was, at times, almost desperate to fill up the spaces of my life. Books filled those spaces for me.

• With school out and me not having access to Mrs. Conway’s cache of books, I rediscovered the George Bruce Branch of the public library on 125th Street.

• I began taking a brown paper bag to the library to bring my books  home.

• Being an athlete was Walter's favorite thing about himself.

One central idea in the selection from Bad Boy is that boys are “supposed to” act in a certain way. Which sentences from the selection best suggest this idea?

• There wasn’t any ice to skate on in Harlem, so I gave up hockey.

• I liked dancing, too, but I had to pretend I didn’t like it.

• When the girls had finished their dancing, they went through some stretching exercises.

At what stage of life is Walter, the narrator, when the events of the selection from Bad Boy take place?

• new born baby

• elementary school

• young adult

What is the main theme of 'The Story of a Bad Boy'?

• A) The importance of friendship

• B) The challenges of growing up

• C) The value of education

• D) The power of imagination

Which character trait best describes the protagonist in 'The Story of a Bad Boy'?

• A) Mischievous

• B) Timid

• C) Generous

• D) Pessimistic

In 'The Story of a Bad Boy', what is the significance of the setting?

• A) It highlights the cultural differences of the time

• B) It provides a backdrop for the protagonist's adventures

• C) It emphasizes the economic struggles of the characters

• D) It serves as a metaphor for the protagonist's inner conflict

Which literary device is frequently used in 'The Story of a Bad Boy'?

• A) Foreshadowing

• B) Irony

• C) Metaphor

• D) Simile