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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. Nic begins sixth grade at a new school in what location?

2. Charles's friends from home earn money by smuggling what substance in from the Yucatan before selling it?

3. Which of the following statements is NOT true with respect to amphetamine versus methamphetamine?

4. David notes that "tests of marijuana have shown that there is twice as much THC in the average joint or pipeful today than in the weed of" (51) how long ago?

5. To whom does David attribute Nic's love for film directors such as Godard, Bergman, and Kurosawa?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is Charles's first close call with drugs and how is David involved?

2. How does David Sheff characterize his friend Charles?

3. Describe the setting depicted in the introduction.

4. How does David react when he finds a baggie of marijuana in Nic's room?

5. What reason does Sheff provide for his decision to forego foreshadowing within the memoir?

6. What is the first altercation between David and Nic about Nic's use of substances?

7. What is the strongest evidence of Nic's negative feelings about his parents' divorce?

8. What pattern does David note in Nic's literary tastes in high school?

9. How is the theme of family bonds depicted within the scene of Daisy's birth?

10. What is the cause of David's resentment toward Nic, even though David knows that he has an illness?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

How is the theme of deception portrayed in David Sheff’s memoir? Examine the author's treatment of and messages regarding deception throughout the work.

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the paradoxes inherent in the struggle against addiction and analyze how Sheff portrays these paradoxical elements within the memoir.

Essay Topic 3

What messages does David Sheff's memoir Beautiful Boy send to the audience about the themes of isolation and outreach?

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