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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 claimed to have the news station idea?

2. What was Jake worried about after his dream?

3. What did he see in front of his neighbor's house?

4. What was Skelly wearing?

5. How does Jake's mom feel about Jake's role as caregiver to Skelly?

Short Essay Questions

1. What was different when Jake went home from school after the fire drill?

2. Where had Aunt Marguerite been?

3. How did Jake treat Mrs. Russell?

4. Why where the family members celebrating when the policeman came back from exploring the park, and why was it somewhat odd?

5. How did Jake feel about graduation three weeks before it happened?

6. Jake watched Mrs. Russell out the window as she helped Skelly. How did she treat him?

7. What had happened to Skelly?

8. What did Jake think of the book he had to read for class?

9. What surprised the family about the segment on the evening news?

10. How did Jake spend the day when the police were looking in the park?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Explain Jake's typical morning routine. Is he ever late for school? What does this say about his character?

Essay Topic 2

Why does Jake connect so much with "The Pearl" by John Steinbeck? How does it remind him of his own life?

Essay Topic 3

How does the author show the changes in Jake as he ages throughout the book? What new choices does he have in his life, and how does he decide to face these choices?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 634 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample