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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. In what year did Kovic join the marines?

2. What is the name of the man who vomits and curses at everyone?

3. What was Mr. Kovic's job?

4. Kovic claims to have been in Vietnam how many times?

5. What part of the body is most affected?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe Kovic's first morning in the hospital.

2. According to Kovic what is one possible reason that he was injured?

3. Kovic and his friends often played what kinds of games in the woods?

4. Explain the opening scene in the book BORN ON THE FOURTH OF JULY by Ron Kovic.

5. When is Kovic's birthday and what is its significance?

6. Discuss some of Kovic's trials and tribulations as a teenager.

7. What causes Kovic to lie about his belief in the war?

8. Who interrupts Kovic's dream? Why?

9. What did Kovic do during the summer months? Who was often with him during that time?

10. What information does Kovic not share with his family?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Compare and contrast the life of an American soldier with soldiers from at least two other countries. Get photographs, if possible. Create two sets of comparisons - one using the modern military and one from World War I. Then compare the two time periods.

Essay Topic 2

Write a short story from a point of view similar to Kovic's while using a modern setting. How does your story differ? Why did you choose that particular setting? What about your story was similar to Kovic's tale? What was the part that provided the most contrast? Explain.

Essay Topic 3

What do you think about Kovic's opinion on why he might have been injured? Do you believe that there should be punishment for acts of violence? If so, how would the punishment be decided and meted out? Explain. Also investigate Kovic's wish to be injured as penance for the debacle that took place in the Vietnamese village. If given the opportunity to live it over again, do you think Kovic would have made the same choices? Explain.

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This section contains 586 words (approx. 2 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample