1. Funeral customs are different throughout the world. Write a paper comparing the funeral customs of our culture with those of different culture.

2. In Say Goodnight, Gracie, Jimmy has chosen to be a dancer, often considered a female pursuit, and Aunt Lo is a psychiatrist, traditionally a male profession. Write a paper on the career that you plan to pursue, paying particular attention to traditional gender roles.

3. Read A. E. Housman's "To an Athlete Dying Young." Compare the sympathies expressed in Housman's poem with the feelings Deaver expresses about death through her protagonist, Morgan.

4. The accident that kills Jimmy is caused by a drunk driver. Research and report on your community's efforts to decrease the number of people who drink and drive.

5. "Knowing what you have to lose, but risking the loss anyway. That's what it's all about." What is the...