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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 is Will grateful for at the end of Chapter 10?

2. Why do the students ask Marcus not to hang out with them in Chapter 5?

3. Why does the English teacher sometimes call Marcus crazy?

4. What is Will bored of in Chapter 12?

5. Who is Roger?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe Will's lunch with Marcus and Fiona in Chapter 13.

2. What lie does Will tell in Chapter 8?

3. How does Will feel about the drama at the hospital and being there for it?

4. How is Will feeling about his life in Chapter 12?

5. How does Will come to the realization that single mothers are the perfect companions for men with commitment issues?

6. What frightens Marcus is Chapter 5?

7. Who is Angie?

8. What does Marcus conclude about his family in Chapter 11?

9. What happens after Will ignores Fiona's message in Chapter 14?

10. What lie does Will tell at the SPAT meeting?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the use of humor in the novel "About a Boy". What are some examples of humor used in the novel? What types of humor does Hornby use? Why might he use humor?

Essay Topic 2

Analyze and interpret the character Marcus. What are his defining character traits? What is most important to him and why? What important events take place during his life in the novel? How does he grow as a character as the novel progresses?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the setting of the novel. In what way is the setting an important aspect of this story? How might either Will's or Marcus' life have been different if they had not lived in London during this time?

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