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. Why does Marcus become angry at Ellie in Chapter 29?

2. Why does Suzie yell at Will in Chapter 23?

3. What does Fiona ask Will to do in Chapter 18 when she calls him?

4. What does Will promise he will do for Marcus in Chapter 26?

5. Why is Will concerned for Marcus in Chapter 32?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Fiona react when she finds out about Marcus' visits to Will's house?

2. Why does Marcus try to keep Ellie from reading the papers in Chapter 31?

3. What does Will tell Marcus in Chapter 20 when Marcus tells Will about his run-in with Ellie?

4. Why does Marcus become angry at Ellie in Chapter 29?

5. What do Ellie and Marcus talk about at the party in Chapter 25?

6. What shocks Marcus' classmates in Chapter 21?

7. How do Ellie and Zoe react in Chapter 21 when Marcus tells them that he knows Ellie was lying to him before?

8. What lie does Will tell Rachel?

9. What does the reader learn about Ellie's mother in Chapter 25?

10. Describe the Christmas dinner in Chapter 22.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the motif of love and romance in the novel "About a Boy", particularly between Will and Rachel and Marcus and Ellie.

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the motif of family in the novel "About a Boy". Describe both Marcus' and Will's family. Is family important to Marcus? What does Marcus realize about family by the end of the novel? Why is this realization important for his character?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss depression and suicide as depicted in the novel "About a Boy". Why does Fiona attempt suicide? How does her depression and attempted suicide impact Marcus? How is Kurt Cobain's suicide and depression depicted in the novel?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 804 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample