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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What does Melissa particularly hate about cleaning her house in Chapter 3?

2. What does Damian suggest might be part of Melissa's mood changes?

3. What does Michael give the man in the tube who asks for money?

4. What does Melissa tell Michael to take care of at the end of Chapter 5?

5. How old is Melissa's daughter in Chapter 3?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Ria often wear that is first mentioned in Chapter 3?

2. At Ria's school's cultural night, who steals the show?

3. What game does Michael play on the bus on his work commute?

4. What is a large source of problems in Damian's and Stephanie's relationship?

5. What was Michael hoping would happen to revitalize his and Melissa's relationship after the Wiley's party in Chapter 1?

6. What does Michael find himself doing that he knows is a bad idea at the end of Chapter 4 because he is frustrated and lonely?

7. What does Melissa do with Blake in Chapter 5 that she absolutely hates?

8. What does Melissa see on the street near the church by their house in Chapter 6 that scares her, and why does it scare her?

9. Why do the Wiley brothers throw a party in Chapter 1?

10. When do both Michael and Melissa realize their date is a total disaster in Chapter 7?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

How is the middle-aged woman who performs the Greek dance at Ria's school's annual cultural night different from Michael, Melissa, Stephanie, and Damian? What does the woman, and her joyful, free dancing, represent? Write an essay explaining your answer.

Essay Topic 2

What does the event of Michael Jackson's death seem to precipitate for Damian, and how does his life begin to change significantly following this event? Write an essay explaining your answer, citing specific references to the text to support your answer.

Essay Topic 3

The novel opens with a party in London celebrating the 2008 U.S. presidential election of Barack Obama. Write an essay analyzing how Evans explains the relevance of Obama's election to the U.S. presidency through her characters in Chapter 1, who are living in London.

(see the answer keys)

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