Hoops

Multiple Choice and Long Answer questions create ideal opportunities for whole-book review, unit exam, or summative assessments.

Multiple Choice

1. How do Lonnie’s feelings toward Cal change over the course of the novel?

A) He is skeptical of Cal but grows to befriend and admire him.

B) He feels that Cal is increasingly less trustworthy.

C) He respects Cal for being a good basketball player but not a good coach.

D) He dislikes Cal but believes he may be the key to his own success.

2. Which relationship is an example of the novel’s theme of Vulnerability and Masculinity?

A) Lonnie’s relationship with his mother

B) Lonnie’s relationship with Mary-Ann

C) Cal’s relationship with Mr. O’Donnel

D) Cal’s relationship with Paul

3. Why do you think the setting of the novel in Harlem is appropriate for Myers’s story?

A) It is considered the Black Mecca of New York.

B) The population consists of a variety of cultures.

C) It is one destination of the Great Migration.

D) It has a wealthy population.

4. Which of the following does Lonnie feel is a pivotal part of his identity?

A) His performance in basketball

B) His relationship with Mary-Ann

C) His role as a coach

D) His relationship with Aggie

5. What is the most likely reason Lonnie feels insecure about performing in front of white audiences?

A) He thinks he isn’t good enough to be a professional player.

B) He doesn’t want to try to impress them just to be let down by them.

C) White people exploit him for money, and he doesn’t like it.

D) He isn’t comfortable with his leadership skills.

6. Which of the following could be an additional theme for the novel?

A) Rags to riches

B) The need for gun legislation

C) History and the Great Migration

D) Time passing over a person’s dreams

7. What does Lonnie continually revisit in his thought processes throughout the novel?

A) Masculinity

B) Winning

C) Betrayal

D) School

8. How does Lonnie attempt to deal with emotional situations?

A) He plays basketball.

B) He visits Mary-Ann.

C) He drinks.

D) He works.

9. How does Lonnie’s conflict resolution develop over the course of the novel?

A) He becomes increasingly hostile.

B) He learns to implement social skills.

C) He learns to regulate his emotions.

D) He discovers the driving force behind basketball.

10. What role does Lonnie’s relationship with Cal serve for Lonnie?

A) A cautionary tale of what not to do

B) A parallel journey of shared experiences

C) A shared identity in basketball

D) A relationship of common goals

11. What is the driving force behind basketball in Hoops?

A) Race and identity

B) Money and profit

C) Performance and audiences

D) Talent and fairness

12. Which relationship has a father-son bond in the novel?

A) Mr. O’Donnel and Cal

B) Lonnie and his father

C) Cal and Lonnie

D) Lonnie and Paul

13. What conflict is central to the setbacks and eventual success of Lonnie’s relationship with Mary-Ann?

A) Lonnie’s understanding of relationships

B) Lonnie’s thoughts on vulnerability

C) Mary-Ann’s emotional avoidance

D) Lonnie’s acceptance of circumstances

14. What does the game of basketball symbolize in the novel?

A) Life

B) Perseverance

C) Personal struggle

D) Growth

15. Why are the uniforms the team wears important in the story?

A) The team desperately needs new uniforms.

B) Cal lacks the foresight to bring the uniforms to practice.

C) They give the team pride and cohesiveness.

D) They are a symbol of status.

Long Answer

Compose a response of 2-3 sentences, incorporating text details to support your response.

1. How might the novel’s title, Hoops, be interpreted in more than one way in relationship to the plot?

2. How does Lonnie’s perception of teamwork and individuality change in the novel?