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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. Once David finds out that Nic's phone has been pinging against towers in three states, whom does he call for help?

2. Part V begins with an excerpt of the script from what film?

3. To what location does David fly after finding out about Nic's overdose?

4. Nic's grandfather had died from years of abuse of what substance?

5. In what town do Karen and David attend their first Al-Anon meeting?

Short Essay Questions

1. What element does Sheff name as "the bitterest irony of early sobriety" (228)?

2. What distinction does Sheff make between blame and accountability?

3. Discuss examples of contingency management strategies that have been shown to be effective in managing addiction.

4. What major medical emergency befalls David Sheff just before Nic's eighteenth birthday?

5. For what reason does Sheff warn the parents of addicted children to avoid certain music?

6. For what purpose does Sheff use the shark and the cormorant simile?

7. What new hobby does Nic take up around the time when David regains his memory after surviving a cerebral hemorrhage?

8. What are the definitions of priming and cuing, behaviors that can lead to relapse?

9. What are the effects of David Sheff's medical emergency?

10. What does David describe as his usual routine when Nic goes missing?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

How is the theme of family bonds portrayed in David Sheff's memoir Beautiful Boy? Examine Sheff's treatment of and messages regarding family bonds throughout the book.

Essay Topic 2

How does David Sheff go about breaking the text into parts and how do these structural elements help to advance the memoir’s themes, mood, and argumentation?

Essay Topic 3

What ultimate message is David Sheff's memoir Beautiful Boy sending about the state of the drug rehabilitation industry in America?

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