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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 Ellie suggest Will do to communicate his desires to his father?

2. What does Marco call Lance?

3. Of what is Will ignorant that everyone else knows?

4. What does Ellie not believe of what Mr. Morton tells her?

5. How does Marco seem to feel about Will?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Ellie say about Mr. Morton's abandoning his job and about the order?

2. What happens in the aftermath of the revelation about Lance and Jennifer's relationship?

3. What does Mr. Morton think is going to happen since Will now knows about Jennifer and Lance? Whom does Mr. Morton blame?

4. What question does Marco scream at his mother? What does he do after she replies?

5. What does Jennifer say about Ellie and Will?

6. What does Jennifer do when she gets home from sailing? How do her parents act?

7. How does Ellie feel about what Mr. Morton is doing and what he told her?

8. What do Ellie and Jennifer talk about in the girls' bathroom?

9. Describe how Will learns about Lance and Jennifer's relationship.

10. What do Will and Ellie say to each other about Lance and Jennifer?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Often, authors will write about "what they know," and sometimes knowing a little about the author makes the books more interesting. Discuss the following:

1. Research and give a brief biographical sketch of Meg Cabot.

2. What in Cabot's background may have helped her in writing Avalon High? What may have influenced the way she depicts various characters and scenes?

3. Do you think there is always some of the author's own life in his/her novels? Why or why not? Give examples.

Essay Topic 2

Avalon High is one book in a series of novels involving Ellie and Will and many of the other characters.

1. What are two advantages of writing a series of novels about the same characters? Use examples.

2. What are two disadvantages of writing a series of novels about the same characters? Use examples.

3. Do you prefer to read a standalone book, or a series of books with the same main characters? Explain your response.

4. Do you think it is easier or more difficult (or about the same) to write a standalone book versus one in a series? Explain your answer.

Essay Topic 3

Will and she asks him if there is something upsetting him. He says no, but goes on to tell her that his dad is pressuring him to attend the Naval Academy for college. Will tells her that he will get in, but that he doesn't want to be in the military and that his father is having a hard time accepting his decision. Ellie tells him his father is probably pushing him into a Naval career because he feels it is the best thing for Will. Will expresses, very eloquently, that he doesn't want to go into the military because he believes in peace and negotiation. Ellie suggests Will talk to his step-mom and ask her to try and convince his father to ease up on talk of Will joining the military. Will finally told his father that he didn't intend to go to college at the Naval Academy. Will's father was so enraged that he kicked Will out of the house.

1. Discuss reasons Will's father might be pressuring Will to go to the Naval Academy? Consider the possibilities of both positive, e.g. he thinks it will be good for Will and negative, e.g. Mr. Wagner's ego is involved, when writing your answer. Use examples from Avalon High and your own life to support your answer.

2. Discuss what Will's belief in peace and negotiations says about his values, morals and his character. Use examples from Avalon High and your own life to support your answer.

3. Why do you think Will has not considered speaking to his mother about helping him and Ellie comes up the the idea? Discuss this in terms of their different family dynamics, their personalities and their genders. Use examples from Avalon High and your own life to support your answer.

(see the answer keys)

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