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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. How does Willie feel about his meeting with Cyril Wheat?

2. What does Willie leave behind in the snow when he leaves school?

3. How does Big Will react to Willie's attempt to defend Johnny Rivers?

4. What does Willie give to Jenny as a sign of their newly romantic relationship?

5. Why is Willie so devastated by his parents' fight?

Short Essay Questions

1. How has Willie's relationship with his friends changed since his accident?

2. What evidence at the beginning of Chapter 2 suggests that Willie and his father, Big Will, enjoy taking risks?

3. Why does Lacey bring Willie to see his son?

4. How does Willie react to the graffiti left by the Jo Boys?

5. Why does Coach Ivy suggest that Johnny's mouth is "worth a run a game"?

6. Why does Willie run in the dark?

7. How does Willie feel about his job as the manager for the girls' basketball team.

8. Why do the other boys on the baseball team go after Johnny Rivers and hose him down?

9. Why does Andre not try to stop Angel from being a prostitute?

10. How does Lacey's perspective on his relationship with Andre compare to Andre's perspective?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

How does Willie relationship with sports change throughout the novel? What major events inspire the changes?

Essay Topic 2

When he leaves Oakland, Willie tells Lacey, "if it means anything ... you're one and one now. You broke one and you fixed one." Agree or disagree with Willie's assessment. Has Lacey atoned for what he has done to his son? Support with evidence.

Essay Topic 3

Explain how Willie's accident and disability actually help him to become a stronger person in the end. What strengths does he discover? How does his sense of self evolve? Be sure to provide textual evidence for support.

(see the answer keys)

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