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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 Josh describe eating for dessert in the beginning of "Final Jeopardy"?

2. What school has Josh's team just defeated in "Article #1 in the Daily News (December 14)"?

3. What is the final word that is printed smaller than the others in the poem "The Last Shot"?

4. What does Josh describe his mother repeatedly singing in "The Doctor Pats Jordan and Me on the Back and Says"?

5. What is the second word that extends downward on the page in the poem "Fast Break"?

Short Essay Questions

1. How is "Churlish" defined in the poem with the same name? How does Josh apply this term to his life?

2. Why does Josh point out the irony of the doctor's name in "The Next Morning"?

3. What actions are described regarding Chuck in "On Christmas Eve"?

4. How does the advice in "Basketball Rule #9" apply to life?

5. What are some of the reasons that Josh lists in "Mom, Since You Asked, I’ll Tell You Why I’m So Angry"?

6. What stylistic elements stand out in the poem "Fast Break"?

7. What is related of Vondie's girlfriend in "Even Vondie"?

8. What information is related in "Text Messages from Vondie"?

9. What advice does Josh's father give him regarding JB in "The Nosebleed Section"?

10. What does Josh's mother say happens to "boys with no self-control" (138) in "Suspension"? What does she mean by this statement?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Analyze and discuss the character of Crystal Bell in The Crossover. What is Crystal's profession? How would you describe her relationships with the main characters in the story? What transformation does Crystal undergo in The Crossover?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the use of nicknames in The Crossover. What is Josh's nickname and what significance does it have? What is Chuck's nickname and how did he obtain it? How do these nicknames reflect upon the characters in the story?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the style of the poems in The Crossover. Does the author employ rhyme and meter throughout the poems? What are examples of similes, metaphors, and other literary devices employed in the poems?

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