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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. The initial use of amphetamine for medical purposes was for what malady?

2. What is the name of Nic's little brother?

3. About what topic does David educate Nic and his friends when he drives them to school each day?

4. How does David feel about joint custody?

5. When David was still a young child, his family moved from Massachusetts to what state?

Short Essay Questions

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

2. What is the symbolism of the word everything?

3. What is the author's purpose for using a quote from The Tempest as an epigraph for Part II?

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

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

6. Which of Nic's childhood heroes commits suicide?

7. Describe the setting depicted in the introduction.

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

9. What major revelation does David make to the reader upon describing his son's admission of crystal meth use?

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

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

How does Sheff use sensory details in order to paint a vivid portrait of anecdotes included within the text? Discuss at least two scenes that include the use of sensory details and pull quotes from these scenes to support your claims.

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

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.

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