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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 Don often criticize about Eva?

2. What had Don at first told Eva about his death?

3. What did Eva have to hold her tongue sometimes with Don?

4. What does a nurse suggest to Don about his frustrations?

5. The night before he leaves the hospital what does he know?

Short Essay Questions

1. What happened with a classmate of Nicole's at the university?

2. Why does Don think he is able to help others in pain or recovery from injury?

3. What kind of people does Don seem to meet?

4. In what other way besides accident victim does Don help people?

5. What does Don say to the police officer, Brad and his wife?

6. Who begins crying when Don is speaking at a church and why? What did she tell Don?

7. Who sees Don off when he leaves the hospital and what do they expect?

8. How is Don's emotional health by Chapter Ten?

9. What two things does Don realize after sharing his story with others?

10. What does Don think about his children through his ordeal?

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

Don still struggles with the question of why? He questions why he was in the accident, why he was allowed to glimpse heaven and why he had to come back; in short, he questions everything. Don has no answers to any of his questions. His lack of answers makes writing his story extremely difficult.

1. Why do you think Don still struggles with the why of his whole ordeal? Use examples from the book to support your answer.

2. Why do you think Don might have been allowed to glimpse heaven and then come back? Use examples from the book and your own life to support your answer.

3. Why do you think Don's lack of answers make writing his story difficult?

Essay Topic 3

Wrapping it up. Choose one of the following and write a cohesive essay using specific examples and details to illustrate your stance:

1. Trace a major theme in the book using examples from numerous points in the book. Tell why you think it is a major theme and any symbols that illustrate the theme.

2. Compare and contrast who Don is at the beginning of the book versus the Don at the end of the book. Use details and examples to illustrate your points.

3. What do you think might have been the author's reason (i.e., the author's agenda) for writing this book? Give detailed examples to support your response.

(see the answer keys)

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