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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 shouts from a car at Shirin when she waks home from school in Chapter 1?

2. How old was Shirin's father when le left home all alone and came to America?

3. How long does Shirin remember living in Iran?

4. Where does Mr. Jordan find Shirin in Chapter 14?

5. What time is Shirin finally able to work with Ocean on their science homework?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Shirin decorate her shoes and her backpack?

2. What does Shirin remember about living in Iran?

3. How do Shirin's parents respond if she compalins about people being mean to her at school or her struggles at school?

4. Where does Shirin meet another middle-eastern student at school, and what is he like?

5. How does Shirin feel when she is with Ocean in Chapter 9?

6. How do Shirin's parents have double standards when it comes to Shirin and Navid?

7. Why does Navid bring some guys home from school in Chapter 2?

8. When did Shirin realize that Navid was dyslexic?

9. How did Shirin help Navid deal with his dyslexia?

10. When does Shirin remember someone calling her beautiful in an off-hand way?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

A Very Large Expanse of Sea is the story of Shirin’s sophomore year in high school. How do the events in the book help Shirin mature and grow in the novel? What role does accepting people and their foibles have to do with her growth?

Essay Topic 2

Cliffhangers are a literary device that leaves readers wondering what will happen next. How does the Mafi use cliffhangers in A Very Large Expanse of Sea? How do cliffhangers create suspense?

Essay Topic 3

The climax in a novel is the highest point of tension and a turning point. What is the climax of A Very Large Expanse of Sea and why is that incident the climax?

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