Name: ______

The Contender questions

ANSWER ON A SEPARATE SHEET OF PAPER TO RECEIVE CREDIT.

Chapter 1

  1. For what is Alfred waiting at the start of the chapter?
  2. Where does Alfred go? Who are the people he finds there?
  3. Who seems to be the ringleader of the group of boys?
  4. For whom does Alfred work? How are these people different from Alfred?
  5. What information does Alfred mistakenly tell the group of boys?
  6. Why is it such a problem that he tells this information?
  7. Who is Henry?
  8. Where is Henry working now?
  9. What did Alfred forget to tell the group of boys?
  10. To where does Alfred go to think or to hide? Why does he go to this place?
  11. List three of the hard times James and Alfred got through together in this secret location.
  12. Who is waiting for Alfred when he arrives home? What happens when they meet?
  13. What happened to James?

Chapter 2

  1. To whom does Alfred wake the next morning?
  2. Why is Alfred feeling so poorly in the morning?
  3. What lie does Alfred tell to Aunt Pearl to explain his appearance?
  4. What does Alfred watch on TV? Why do you think it upsets him?
  5. Who does Alfred encounter in the hall toilet?
  6. To where does Alfred go at the end of chapter 2?
  7. What does he want from the people in this place?

Chapter 3

  1. What encourages Mr. Donatelli to think that Alfred will keep growing?
  2. What routine does Mr. D say Alfred must follow if he wants to be a real fighter? Explain thoroughly.
  3. What’s the difference between the heavy bag and the peanut bag? For what are each used?
  4. What does it mean to be a contender?
  5. What does Mr. D say would be the worst thing?
  6. Where does Mr. D live?

The Contender—answer on a separate sheet

Chapter 4 HW questions:

  1. What day of the week is it?
  2. Alfred hears some more radical members of the Black Nationalist movement and Harold, an old school friend, on his walk with Aunt Pearl and the girls at the start of the chapter. How does he react to them?
  3. What do they call him in return? Why?
  4. How does Reverend Price seem to feel about these demonstrators’ ideas?
  5. To where did the family then take the subway? Why?
  6. What advice does Uncle Wilson have for Alfred?
  7. Describe Cousin Jeff. What are we told about him? Why isn’t he at the dinner? What does Alfred think of him?
  8. What does Alfred always notice about the contrast between his apartment and Uncle Wilson’s house whenever they return from a visit?
  9. What does Alfred make sure to do before he goes to bed?

Chapter 5

  1. Who stops Alfred while he is running in the park? How does this make him feel?
  2. How does Aunt Pearl treat Alfred that morning?
  3. What’s different at work that day?
  4. What does Henry reveal he knows about Alfred?

Chapter 6

  1. According to the sign, how much money would Alfred have to pay to work out at the gym?
  2. Why isn’t Mr. D at the gym when Alfred arrives?
  3. What advice about boxing does the dentist, Dr. Corey give to Alfred?
  4. What push up technique is Alfred taught?
  5. Who is Mr. D’s assistant?
  6. Why do they put Vaseline on the fighters’ faces?
  7. Which fighter gives Mr. D’s assistant problems?
  8. What does he do and how does the assistant handle the issue? What does this show about him?
  9. What does Mr. D tell Henry to hold on to for Alfred in case he came back to the gym?

Chapter 7

  1. To where does Alfred go to see his first professional fight?
  2. What’s the name of the pro fighter that Mr. D is there to help?
  3. Describe Jelly Belly.
  4. Why does Mr. D have the fight stopped? What does this say about Mr. D?
  5. How does the fighter react to Mr. D’s decision?
  6. Who is Spoon? Why does he do now and why doesn’t he fight anymore?
  7. What role did Mr. D have in Spoon’s decision to stop fighting?
  8. For what does Alfred finally thank Henry?
  9. Who is waiting for Alfred at the end of the chapter?

Chapter 8

1. What do Major and Hollis want with Alfred this time?

2. How does Alfred react?

3. What trick does Major try to persuade Alfred? How does Alfred react this time?

4. How is this a different Alfred?

Chapter 9

1. How do the cops in the park react to Alfred now?

2. How does Alfred seem like a changed person?

3. How does Aunt Pearl react when Alfred tells her of his plan to be a professional boxer?

4. Aunt Pearl says she will consult with someone about boxing and Mr. Donatelli. With whom does she plan to consult?

Chapter 10

1. What does Reverend Price think of Alfred’s plan?

2. How does Mr. Epstein know about boxing?

3. What advice does Mr. Epstein give to Alfred?

4. What does Dr. Corey give to Alfred that makes it hard for him to breathe normally?

5. What news does Major have to Alfred?

6. Why is everyone at the gym in such a touchy mood?

7. Why is Alfred getting frustrated?

Chapter 11

1. When Alfred arrives at the clubhouse, Major keeps offering him wine. Why does Alfred refuse?

2. Why do you think Alfred goes back to the clubhouse?

3. What’s the name of Major’s girlfriend? Why is she glad to see Alfred?

4. What are some poor choices Alfred makes in this chapter?

5. How does James react when he and Alfred speak for the first time in weeks?

6. What has changed about James? What’s his big problem now?

7. List THREE things Alfred does in this chapter that go against his boxing training.

Chapter 12

  1. On what day of the week does the chapter begin?
  2. In what unusual place does Alfred wake up?
  3. Why does Major call Alfred?
  4. Who are the four boys Alfred spends time with during the chapter?
  5. Why do the boys abandon the car?
  6. Why does Alfred throw up?
  7. Why does Alfred go to the gym that night?
  8. What would tell Mr. Donatelli if Alfred would really be a good boxer?
  9. What does Alfred seem to decide by the end of the chapter?

Name: ______

The Contender questions

Chapter 13

  1. In what month is most of the chapter set?
  2. How heavy are the sparring gloves?
  3. Use the internet to look up something that weighs about that much. Is this very heavy?
  4. To what does Alfred compare the experience of wearing the gloves? What literary technique is this?
  5. What dream has been recurring for Alfred?
  6. What “great” compliment does Alfred achieve from Donatelli?
  7. With which characters does Alfred spar?
  8. Mr. Epstein stops by the gym. What does he ask of Alfred?
  9. What does this show about Mr. Epstein’s thoughts about Alfred?
  10. To show that Alfred is moving along in his training, what new piece of equipment is he getting?

Chapter 14

  1. What is strange about Alfred’s routine this particular morning at home?
  2. At what time are Alfred and Henry meeting Mr. D?
  3. What does Alfred receive from Dr. Corey?
  4. What lunch does Mr. D order for Alfred?
  5. Where do Alfred and Henry go to wait before the match?
  6. Why doesn’t Mr. D have much confidence in Jelly’s fighting skills?
  7. Why does Henry walk with a limp?
  8. Why is Alfred only hearing about the reason behind the limp now?
  9. What glimpse of his friend James’ home life does Alfred give the reader in this chapter?
  10. What does Henry say happened to the clubhouse gang a few weeks ago?
  11. What did Spoon used to do to pass the time before his fights?
  12. What’s Spoon’s wife’s name? What does she do for a living?
  13. What life advice does Spoon give to Alfred?
  14. What meal does Alfred eat that night before his first real fight?
  15. Where does Spoon live?
  16. Both Spoon and Alfred live in Manhattan, but in different neighborhoods. What does Alfred notice is the difference?
  17. Alfred tells Donatelli that he doesn’t feel butterflies in his stomach before the match. What does he say he feels? What literary technique is this?
  18. At what location is the fight held?
  19. What is the name of Alfred’s opponent?
  20. Who wins the fight? How?

Chapter 15

  1. How does Aunt Pearl find out about Alfred’s fight?
  2. What does Aunt Pearl bring to Alfred to help him settle into bed?
  3. Explain the story about her own childhood ambitions that Aunt Pearl shares with Alfred.
  4. What happened to Aunt Pearl’s husband?
  5. Compare the way Aunt Pearl’s mother handled her child’s ambitions to the way Aunt Pearl handles Alfred’s.
  6. What truth does Alfred reveal about his thoughts on his fight?

Chapter 16

  1. Who is Alfred’s second opponent in the ring?
  2. What distinguishes this opponent’s fighting style?
  3. Who wins the fight? How?
  4. What does Alfred do immediately after the fight? What does this say about him?
  5. What is stuck in Alfred’s mind for the rest of the chapter?
  6. Why does Mr. Epstein “fire” Alfred?
  7. Who does Alfred run into out on the street?
  8. Why are they interested in Alfred’s help?