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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. Who is described as JB's girlfriend's favorite basketball player in "Things I Learn at Dinner"?

2. What basketball camp did JB's girlfriend go to, according to the narrator in "Things I Learn at Dinner"?

3. Where does JB ask to go after practice in "The Next Morning"?

4. For what minor-league baseball team did Michael Jordan play, as revealed in "Final Jeopardy"?

5. In a simile in the poem "The Nosebleed Section," the narrator describes his mother popping up like what in the stands?

Short Essay Questions

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

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

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

4. What condition has led to Chuck Bell's hospitalization in "Fourth Quarter"?

5. What thoughts and emotions does Josh express in "Dear Jordan"?

6. How are the Christmas celebrations described in "Santa Claus Stops By"?

7. What is the focus and meaning of "Basketball Rule #7"?

8. How is the word "profusely" explored in the poem that has the same name?

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

10. How would you describe the mood of the poem "After" in "Third Quarter"? How does the author develop this mood?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Describe and analyze the character of Josh Bell in The Crossover. How old is Josh? What are his likes and dislikes? What relationships does Josh form and/or share with the other characters in the story?

Essay Topic 2

Several poems in The Crossover focus on a single word, such as "Irony." What is the significance of these poems? How do these poems explore language thematically? Why do you think the author employs this style?

Essay Topic 3

Several poems throughout The Crossover are titled "Basketball Rule #." What is the significance of these particular poems? How do these poems stand out stylistically from the others in the verse novel?

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