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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. About what is Muncie asking Nyle?

2. What does Nyla notice about Ezra when she enters his room?

3. What does Nyla decide she can do to help Ezra?

4. What does Ezra call Nyle?

5. What is unusual about Nyle's house that makes her stop?

Short Essay Questions

1. What emotion do you think Muncie is feeling as she inquires why Nyle did not come study with her the night before?

2. What is ironic about Ezra's feeling about the back room?

3. How does Mr. Sobel get Nyle thinking about radiation poisoning and why is the topic particularly applicable?

4. What is evidence of Ezra's continue improvement?

5. Describe Nyle's first encounter with Ezra.

6. What do the girls do in Radio Shack and why is that ironic?

7. What emotion is Nyle experiencing and what is Gran's advice about the emotion? Do you think it is wise advice?

8. Ten days after the accident, what does the Principal announce and what do you think your response would be?

9. The issue of a drawn curtain occurs in this chapter, in previous chapters, and in future chapters. How does this issue come up in this chapter and venture a guess as to the significance of the incident.

10. Mrs. Trent reveals that she disappoints her parents by marrying out of the faith and that she is paying the price now. Do you think this is true?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

In chapter 19, when Ezra and Nyle are in his room doing homework, the fire department sirens go off. Immediately, he commands Nyle to close the curtains. Nyle tries to calm Ezra's fears, but he succumbs to them anyway. Soon, the sirens dissipate, and they hear a lone fire truck drive by on the road. Ezra recovers quickly and thanks Nyle for understanding. Answer the following questions by writing a cohesive essay using specific examples and details to illustrate your stance.

1. How long do you think Ezra will react to stimuli that remind him of the accident? If he lived for many years after this, do you think at some point he would be completely over the trauma of this time? Why or why not?

2. There is a psychological condition called post traumatic stress syndrome (or disease). Learn a little about this state and decide if you think Ezra suffers from this problem. Explain your analysis.

3. What do you think it will take for Ezra to heal?

Essay Topic 2

The contrast between Mrs. Trent's (and Ezra's as well) background and that of the sheep farmers is obvious in this chapter when Nyle notices several contrasts between her and Mrs. Trent. Answer the following questions by writing a cohesive essay using specific examples and details to illustrate your stance.

1. What are the contrast that Nyle notices?

2. Do you think Mrs. Trent feels the contrast as greatly as Nyle does? Why or why not?

3. What do you think a possible theme suggested by the scene when Nyle notices her hands compared to Mrs. Trent's? Can you find threads of this theme elsewhere?

Essay Topic 3

In chapter 11, Ezra says he feels like a phoenix and how good it feels to be alive. Answer the following questions by writing a cohesive essay using specific examples and details to illustrate your stance.

1. What is a phoenix? From what culture does the image of the phoenix come?

2. The image of the phoenix occurs in chapter 12 and chapter 21, both in relation to Ezra. Analyze how the image is used in both places and discuss how you think the phoenix is a good image for Ezra.

3. Knowing that Ezra dies in the end, so in a sense he does not rise from the ashes as a phoenix does, how does that inform the title of this book? How could the symbol of the phoenix apply to Ezra at the end of the book?

(see the answer keys)

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