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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 Marcus argue with his mother about in Chapter 17?

2. What does Marcus tell Ellie in Chapter 21?

3. Who does Ellie say is on the front of her sweatshirt when Marcus asks about it?

4. Why does Marcus walk out of school in Chapter 19?

5. What does Will realize is the only interesting thing about him?

Short Essay Questions

1. What lie does Will tell Rachel?

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

3. What shocks Marcus' classmates in Chapter 21?

4. What disappoints Marcus in Chapter 29?

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

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

7. Who is Rachel?

8. What deal do Marcus and Will make in Chapter 26?

9. What makes Will unhappy enough to skip Christmas in Chapter 18?

10. How does Marcus defend his visits to Will's house in Chapter 17?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Analyze the fear felt by the main characters of the novel, particularly with the protagonists. What is Marcus afraid of? What is Will afraid of?

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 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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