A Corner of the Universe

1. What business do Hattie’s parents run?

A) a cleaning service

B) a restaurant

C) a boardinghouse

D) a carnival

2. Which set of adjectives best describes Hattie at the beginning of the summer?

A) outgoing, talkative, carefree

B) shy, quiet, responsible

C) loud, playful, athletic

D) selfish, standoffish, silent

3. Who are most of Hattie’s friends?

A) kids from her class in school

B) girls she met at last year’s dance

C) her cousins in the next town

D) adults in Millerton

4. Why does Hattie wish Miss Hagerty were her grandmother instead of Nana?

A) Miss Hagerty knows how to sew.

B) Miss Hagerty is encouraging and understanding.

C) Miss Hagerty teaches Hattie how to do makeup.

D) Miss Hagerty knows the truth about Adam’s illness.

5. What does Hattie’s father do besides help run the family business?

A) He is an artist.

B) He works a second job at a restaurant.

C) He is a writer.

D) He drives a taxi.

6. Why does Nana disapprove of Hattie’s father?

A) Nana does not like the way Hattie’s father dresses.

B) Hattie’s father gets into arguments with Nana.

C) Nana thinks Hattie’s father is foolish.

D) Hattie’s father comes from a middle-class background.

7. Who does Hattie wish were her big sister?

A) Betsy McGruder

B) Angel Valentine

C) Miss Hagerty

D) Nana

8. What information do Hattie’s parents surprise her with?

A) She has an uncle that she never knew about.

B) Fred Carmel’s carnival is coming to town.

C) She has a new baby brother or sister on the way.

D) They are going to increase her allowance because she is so industrious.

9. Why does Hattie get frustrated with her parents?

A) They do not give her enough privacy.

B) They do not allow her to go into town by herself, even though she is almost twelve.

C) They do not answer her questions.

D) They want her to be more like Betsy.

10. Why is Adam in a special school?

A) He attends a private school for wealthy families.

B) He requires advanced classes.

C) He has a mental illness.

D) He is learning to be a carpenter.

11. What is Adam’s favorite tv show? (short answer)

12. What is Hattie’s reaction when she first meets Adam?

A) She is scared of Adam.

B) She feels happy and excited.

C) She is uncomfortable and wants to go home.

D) She feels confused .

13. Which set of adjectives best describes Adam?

A) outgoing, adult, serious

B) happy, calm, funny

C) talkative, intense, excitable

D) funny, quiet, mature

14. Hattie sees that Nana tries to lead the dinner party conversation away from the “elephant in the living room” (40). What does Hattie mean?

A) Nana and Papa know that Adam does not want to participate in the conversation.

B) Nana hopes that Hattie and her parents will talk to Adam as an adult.

C) Nana wants to gossip about the neighbors.

D) Nana is embarrassed to acknowledge Adam and his differences.

15. What does Nana tell Adam to do when she wants him to behave?

A) mind his party manners

B) sit up straight

C) be quiet

D) respect Hattie and her parents

16. How does Hattie feel when Adam comes to visit Angel Valentine?

A) happy because Adam and Angel get along so well

B) left out because Hattie is younger

C) angry because Angel will not be Adam’s girlfriend

D) hopeful that Adam will stay and talk to her

17. What does Adam tell Hattie that she is able to do?

A) become a famous author

B) make lots of friends if she tries harder

C) find a boyfriend

D) lift the corners of the universe

18. Why does Hattie sometimes feel like she hates her porch?

A) She wishes her porch were closer to the street, so she could talk to more people.

B) She does not feel like she belongs in the world that passes by her porch.

C) She thinks sitting on her porch is like watching a movie.

D) She knows that someday she will have to leave her porch and go to college.

19. What secret does Adam share with Hattie?

A) He can tell someone what day of the week it was for any date.

B) He can estimate someone’s weight within one pound.

C) He can do amazing card tricks.

D) He knows the words to every I Love Lucy episode.

20. What does Nancy O’Neil call Adam when he and Hattie walk by her house? (short answer)

21. What event gets all of sleepy Millerton excited?

A) Fred Carmel’s Funtime Carnival

B) Fred Carmel’s Funtime Circus

C) Fantastic Fred’s Amazing Carnival

D) The Amazing Carmel’s Circus

22. Why does Hattie feel 15 percent uncomfortable about going to see the sideshow?

A) She does not know if the sideshow people will make fun of her for being shy.

B) She does not want to borrow money to pay for the sideshow ticket.

C) She is not sure how she would feel if people stared at her because she was different.

D) She is embarrassed to be around people who are so different.

23. Who does Hattie befriend at the carnival?

A) Leila

B) Tib

C) Betsy

D) Angel

24. Why does Hattie decide not to go see the sideshow again?

A) She does not have enough money to buy a ticket.

B) Leila asks her not to go because Leila does not like people staring at her mom.

C) It makes Hattie uncomfortable that people think Adam is a freak, like the sideshow performers.

D) She would rather spend her money on rides like the Ferris wheel.

25. Which set of three adjectives best describes Nana?

A) relaxed, prim, outgoing

B) controlling, formal, proud

C) emotional, friendly, giving

D) quiet, comforting, gentle

26. What does Hattie do to get Adam to smile at the picnic?

A) dances with him

B) tells a joke

C) tickles him

D) burps

27. Why does Hattie feel that she cannot ask her family questions?

A) They get angry at her.

B) She thinks they do not treat her like an adult.

C) They do not answer her questions.

D) She is afraid of what they may tell her.

28. What does Adam call out when he feels joyful? (short answer)

29. What horrible thought occurs to Hattie at the picnic?

A) She might have Adam’s mental illness.

B) She thinks Nancy and Janet may have seen her dancing.

C) She briefly wishes Nana were dead.

D) She will never have any friends her own age.

30. Why does Adam say he is “the only true alien” in the world? (112)

A) He imagines he can visit the moon and stars.

B) He feels different from everyone else.

C) He sees that Hattie wants to be an alien also, but she cannot be.

D) He thinks his universe is better than the ordinary world.

31. What forbidden thing does Adam do at the Girls’ Lunch?

A) sings the theme song from I Love Lucy

B) steals the rose from Hattie’s cake

C) presses Nana’s foot buzzer

D) eats with his mouth open

32. What does Adam give Hattie for her birthday?

A) a hand-carved wooden bookshelf

B) a cake that Nana helped him bake

C) a brand-new set of Betsy Tacy books

D) a beautiful wooden box that he made

33. What age does Hattie turn on her birthday? (short answer)

34. Why does Hattie suggest that Adam sneak out to the carnival with her?

A) She is afraid to go to the carnival at night by herself.

B) She wants to worry Nana and Papa.

C) She wants Adam to have fun without someone trying to control him.

D) She needs an adult to take her to the carnival.

35. How does Adam feel at first about his ride on Ferris wheel?

A) He wishes he had not gone on the ride.

B) He wants to get off.

C) He likes the music the Ferris wheel plays.

D) He thinks he is in the center of the universe.

36. What does Adam do when the ride gets stuck?

A) He panics and tries to climb down.

B) He shouts to Leila’s dad for help.

C) He passes out.

D) He jumps to the ground.

37. What does Hattie believe the carnival crowd thinks about Adam when the police try to handcuff him?

A) people pity Adam

B) people are glad they do not have Adam in their family

C) people want to help Adam, but are afraid to get involved

D) people understand how frightened Adam is

38. What does Nana do to punish Hattie?

A) takes back the dress she gave Hattie for her birthday

B) does not let Hattie attend the next Girls’ Lunch

C) forbids her to go to the carnival

D) will not let Hattie come into her home

39. Who are the Strowskys?

A) Nana and Papa’s neighbors

B) a mother with two kids, looking for a fresh start

C) the parents of Hattie’s good friend, Betsy

D) a new family that moved in next door to Hattie

40. What does Hattie discover when she tries to see Leila?

A) Leila and her family have already moved on to the carnival’s next stop.

B) Leila is angry that Hattie did not come back to the carnival after the episode with Adam.

C) Leila’s dad does not want Hattie or Adam to come to the carnival again.

D) Leila has been trying to find Hattie.

41. What does Hattie realize that she and Catherine have in common?

A) Both of them have lost their fathers.

B) Hattie and Catherine both have red hair.

C) Both have experienced how quickly life can change.

D) Hattie and Catherine both have family members with a mental illness.

42. What happens to Adam?

A) He runs away.

B) Nana sends him back to his special school.

C) He dies in an accident.

D) He kills himself. 

43. Why did Hattie’s mom never visit Adam at his special school?

A) The school was too far away.

B) She did not want to deal with his mental illness.

C) Adam did not want to see her.

D) Nana and Papa told her not to visit.

44. Who comes to visit Hattie and her family after Adam’s death?

A) Uncle Hayden

B) Aunt Tilly

C) Granny

D) Cousin Frank

45. Why does Hattie want to speak at Adam’s funeral?

A) to show people how much she loved Adam

B) to make Nana angry

C) to tell people what Adam was really like

D) to let Adam know he would always be with her

46. What does Hattie wear to the funeral?

A) a white blouse and bright red skirt

B) her yellow birthday dress

C) a black funeral dress

D) her favorite green skirt and gloves

47. Why does Hattie think it took courage for Adam to kill himself?

A) because he was used to following Nana and Papa’s directions

B) because he was usually so calm and gentle

C) because he loved life

D) because he had lots of friends

48. How did Hattie’s mom show her love for Adam?

A) She bought him a gift once a month.

B) She mailed him mementos every week.

C) She brought him home for vacations.

D) She sewed him a memory quilt.

49. What did Adam teach Hattie?

A) to challenge her parents’ control

B) his trick of telling the day of the week of any date

C) to talk about things

D) to relax and be calm

50. How does Hattie finally say goodbye to Leila?

A) in a letter

B) in person

C) in a phone call

D) in an email

51. Adam showed Hattie that “it’s possible to lift the corners of our universe” (189). What does she think he means?

A) to fix her relationships with others

B) to explore life and take chances

C) to relate better to her grandparents

D) to fit in with everyone else