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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 do Petra and Calder decide to list?

2. What helps Calder think?

3. How does Petra respond to what she notices about her father?

4. Of what are each of these three unsure?

5. Who gave Calder the box he pulls out to look in?

Short Essay Questions

1. How are clues related to the story?

2. What does Calder learn about his grandmother and what does he wish about Vermeer and Fort and why does he wish that?

3. What do Petra and Calder do to try to make sense of everything that's been happening?

4. What does Petra begin looking for, and does she find it at home?

5. What does the letter published by the Chicago Tribune state?

6. What do Petra and Calder learn about the Lady and what do they decide to do?

7. What is Petra's father upset about and what is Petra's response?

8. Who are Calder and Petra, and how do they differ?

9. How do Petra and Calder's families differ?

10. What does the letter from Tommy say, and what is Calder's thoughts about the letter?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Lo! is a book full of unexplained events. The clippings in this book come from newspapers from all over the world and include hundreds of stories of bizarre events. The majority of these events are of living animals falling out of the sky. Charles Fort, the author of the book, believes that people take what happens around them and then make these often odd and unlikely events fit into something they can understand, rather than taking what actually happens and trying to figure out why it has happened.

1. Do you think a bizarre event can always be explained by science, even if the knowledge is not available in the present time? Why or why not? Use examples from "Chasing Vermeer" and your own life to support your answer.

2. Making something you see into something your mind understands or expects is a common phenomenon. For example, we might see "waht" but read "what". Discuss an incident in "Chasing Vermeer" in which one of the characters saw an event and decided to interpret that event based on what the character wanted to find or know. Use examples from "Chasing Vermeer" and your own life to support your answer.

3. Explain, in depth, how reading Lo! changed Petra and Calder's perception of the world. Use examples from "Chasing Vermeer" and your own life to support your answer.

Essay Topic 2

Characters are an important part of what makes "Chasing Vermeer" interesting. Discuss the following:

1. Thoroughly discuss and analyze Calder. What are his strengths? His weaknesses? How does he contribute to the plot? Is he a sympathetic character? Is he always likable? Never likable? Use specific examples to illustrate your ideas.

2. Thoroughly discuss and analyze Petra. What are her strengths? Her weaknesses? How does she contribute to the plot? Is she a sympathetic character? Is she ever likable? Never likable? Use specific examples to illustrate your ideas.

3. Thoroughly discuss and analyze Mrs. Sharpe. What are her strengths? Her weaknesses? How does she contribute to the plot? Is she a sympathetic character? Is she ever likable? Never likable? Use specific examples to illustrate your ideas.

4. Thoroughly discuss and analyze Ms. Hussey. What are her strengths? Her weaknesses? How does she contribute to the plot? Is she a sympathetic character? Is she ever likable? Never likable? Use specific examples to illustrate your ideas.

Essay Topic 3

Titles often play a vital role in making a person decide to read a particular book. Discuss the following:

1. Fully explain why you think "Chasing Vermeer" is titled as such. Do you think it is the best title for the book? Why or why not? Can you think of a better title? Why would you choose it?

2. How important is a title in influencing you to consider reading a book? Explain your answer.

3. Do you think a title needs to have direct relevance to a book's content? Explain your answer.

4. Have you ever read a book that when you finished, you do not understand the relevance of the title? Does it discourage you from "trusting" that particular author again?

(see the answer keys)

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