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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 is one of the ingredients of Hector's mother's recipe?

2. What is Lenny doing with his father in Chapter 16:

3. What impresses Debbie about the student with the locker next to hers?

4. Why is Peter at his grandmother's house?

5. What does Debbie have for a bedroom door?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Peter call his grandmother and why is he at her house?

2. What does Debbie hear her mother telling a friend about Debbie's upcoming summer?

3. Why are Phil, Debbie, Lenny and Hector sitting on a curb, what are they doing and what are they talking about?

4. What are Debbie and Patty doing while looking at the yearbook and what is Debbie thinking about when she looks at her own picture in the yearbook?

5. What subject does Peter's father approach with Mrs. Bruning and what is her response?

6. What is Hector thinking when he walks the sidewalk after a light rain?

7. What does Debbie think of Dan Persik?

8. How does Debbie's necklace end up in a tar patch after Dan picked it up?

9. What is Lenny doing in Chapter 22 while Debbie is in the backyard reading and what saddens him when he goes into his house and comes back out?

10. What happens when Debbie comes to Mrs. Bruning's house on Saturday immediately after Mrs. Bruning awakens?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Oftentimes, a book has more of a character-driven plot rather than action driven, and sometimes it is the other way around. Some books seem to balance the two. Discuss the following:

1. What do you think it means to say that a plot is character driven? Action driven?

2. How do you think a plot differs if it is character driven versus action driven?

3. Which type of plot do you find more interesting? Why?

4. Do you think it is possible to have a plot where action and character development share equal time? Why or why not.

5. What type of plot do you think "Criss Cross" is? Explain your response.

Essay Topic 2

Choose one of the following to discuss:

1. Choose two significant symbols and trace and analyze their appearance in "Criss Cross". Are these universal symbols? Would they be understood in any culture? Are there other symbols that would portray the same idea? What are they? Why do you think Perkins chooses the symbols he does?

2. Choose two important metaphors and trace and analyze their appearance in the novel. Are these universal metaphors? Would they be understood in any culture? Are there other metaphors that would portray the same idea? What are they? Why do you think Perkins chooses the metaphors she does?

3. Discuss Perkins's use (or lack ) of literary device (such as foreshadowing, cliffhangers, deux ex machina, etc.), and how they add or detract from the story. Does Perkins use too many or too little literary techniques? State which of the five major elements of fiction the literary device is related to (style, character, plot, setting, theme).

Essay Topic 3

Debbie matures and grows throughout the book.

1. What do you think might be some of the reasons Debbie is maturing? Use examples from the book to support your answer.

2. Do you think Debbie's maturity shown in the book is unrealistic in the short amount of time period the book covers? Why or why not?

3. Discuss the ways that Debbie shows changes in her maturity in the book.

(see the answer keys)

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