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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 Jack read in Chapter 7?

2. What does Julie say is dead in the basement?

3. Who raves about Derek after his dinner visit in Chapter 7?

4. What happens to the fresh food Julie buys for the family?

5. In Chapter 9, how is Tom acting?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is Jack's science fiction novel about and what question does Jack pose regarding it?

2. What is the conversation between Derek and Jack as they leave the pool hall?

3. Discuss the conversation Derek strikes up at the pool hall when he starts playing.

4. How does the book end?

5. How does Tom get to play in girls' clothing without getting picked on by his friends?

6. Jack thinks his hands smell like rotten meat. What does he do? What is really causing the smell?

7. Explain how Julie's punch of Jack turns into sex with him.

8. When he asks to do so, why won't Sue let Jack read excerpts from her diary?

9. Discuss the siblings' eating habits for the week following their mother's death.

10. What does Derek say and how does he act when he catches Julie and Jack naked together?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Compare and contrast the two oldest siblings and the two youngest ones.

Essay Topic 2

There are four points of view in which literature is written: first person, third person objective, third person limited, and omniscient. Which point of view does the author use in this book? Is this the most effective point of view for this story? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 3

Define rising action as an element of plot. Discuss in detail the rising action in The Cement Garden. How did it flow? How did the rising action add to the suspense of the story, or did it?

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