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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 Dick decide to do when they see the accident?

2. Why is Don taken from his room several times a week?

3. What does Don not experience in his near death episode that many people do?

4. How many ambulances came to the accident scene?

5. What does Don notice about the people around him?

Short Essay Questions

1. What route does Don take to return home and what is that route like?

2. Who does Don meet in the hospital that helps him and how do they meet?

3. What do the EMTs do when they arrive at the accident site and then when they've seen all the victims?

4. What happened to the people in the other cars that were hit?

5. What does Don not experience and what does he experience when he dies?

6. Where does Don go after he leaves the accident scene?

7. What does Jay Perkins tell Don about his independent attitude?

8. What hit Don and what happened to his car?

9. What is the Iliazrov Frame and how is it used?

10. What does Don see when he first arrives in heaven?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Despite the large number of visitors who come to see Don in the hospital, he refuses to let anyone do anything for him. One day, Jay Perkins stops by to visit Don. Jay is a retired minister filling in for Don. Jay notices that Don never asks for help and challenges him to open up to the people who care about him. Jay tells Don that people are trying to love him in the only way they know how, but Don will not let them.

1. How would the above statement relate to the cliche, "No man is an island?"

2. Why do you think Don is refusing help from anyone? Use examples from the book and your own life to support your answer.

3. People in general seem to believe that doing something for someone they love is showing their love. Do you think this is true? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 2

As Don struggles to process what has happened to him, various people point out that Don must open himself up if he is going to survive. Don must accept the help of others, learn to share his story and adjust to a new way of living his life.

1. Discuss why it might be necessary for Don to open himself up to survive. Use examples from the book to support your answer.

2. Do you think everyone needs to learn to accept help from others? Why or why not?

3. What are some of the ways you've seen in the book that Don is adjusting to a new way of life?

Essay Topic 3

At the opening to the story, we are immediately introduced to the main character, Don, and later his wife Eva. Choose one of the following questions and write a well-developed essay using specific examples and details:

1. Thoroughly describe and analyze Don and his role in the book--using examples from the entire book. How does he help drive the plot? Is he a likable character? Is there anything about him that is redeemable?

2. Thoroughly describe and analyze Eva and her role in the book--using examples from the entire book. How does she help drive the plot? Is she a likable character? What about her is not so likable?

3. Analyze the interactions between Don and Eva. Would you consider their marriage to be a good marriage? Who seems to be the stronger character, Don or Eva? Why? Is Eva's life affected as much by the accident as Don's? Why or why not?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,213 words (approx. 5 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample