View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What does Jeff decide to give to his father as a gift for Christmas this particular year?

2. When Jeff and his mother stop at a house where two women are sitting, what are the women doing?

3. What is NOT one of the things that Jeff does when he is at the island?

4. What did Jeff bring back for Brother Thomas from Charleston when he visited his mother?

5. Jeff becomes talented at reading the Professor's ____________ and figuring out what he might want.

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does Jeff feel disappointed about Gambo when he arrives to visit with her?

2. What does Jeff do the first morning he is with his mom which ends up upsetting her?

3. What does Jeff realize as night falls when he is on the island's land?

4. What does Jeff do with the money he saves up from his weekly allowance he receives from his father?

5. What does Melody say when Jeff tells her that he gets only Bs and Cs in school?

6. Why are the two women at the house surprised to be introduced to Jeff by Melody?

7. What does Melody tell Jeff when they are out on their walk together?

8. Why does Jeff send Melody a beautiful scarf for Christmas the year after he visits her?

9. What does Max tell Jeff about the relationship between Melody and the Professor?

10. What does Brother Thomas do when Jeff reveals he has not eaten dinner or breakfast?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

When Melody decides she wants custody of Jeff, he responds in a different way than he might have expected a few years earlier.

Part 1: Why do you think Jeff reacts in the way he does when Melody decides she wants custody?

Part 2: Why do you think the Professor acts in the way he does when Melody decides she wants custody?

Part 3: Why do you think Melody decides she wants custody of Jeff after all of these years?

Essay Topic 2

The herons factor into the isolation that Jeff seems to feel. When he goes to see them, he sees what loneliness exists in the world.

Part 1: In what ways are the herons and Jeff alike? Why do you say this?

Part 2: In what ways are the herons and Jeff not alike (aside from their species)? Why do you say this?

Part 3: Why do you think Jeff is so drawn to the herons in this story?

Essay Topic 3

Jeff's mom seems to be a character who is lost in herself and lost in her baser needs.

Part 1: Do you think Jeff's mother, Melody, is a good person? Why or why not?

Part 2: Why do you think Jeff's mother doesn't try to spend more time with Jeff?

Part 3: Why do you think Jeff's mother decided to walk out on her family?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 726 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample