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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 the first thing Ben thinks about after hearing about his illness?

2. When did Cody become the school quarterback?

3. What does Ben think about the news that he is dying?

4. What does Ben say is the reasons he plays football so well?

5. What project does Ben chose in Lambeer's class?

Short Essay Questions

1. What do Ben and Cody find when they get home, what does it tell them and what does their father say about the situation?

2. What does Ben do after he leaves the doctor's office upon receiving the bad news and what does he say to the doctor when he returns to his office?

3. How does Ben act when he receives the information from the doctor, and what is his first thought about the information?

4. What does the doctor tell Ben and what does the doctor do to be certain about his information?

5. Where does Dr. Wagner take Ben to learn more about his illness, what does he learn, and what does Ben decide to do for treatment?

6. What does Ben say about having a terminal illness at such a young age?

7. What does Ben find when he stops at Rudy's and what does Ben find out there? What does Rudy show him?

8. How does Ben find out he might have a serious physical illness, and how does Ben insist he learn about this illness?

9. What does Ben want to do for his senior year, where does he live and how does he do in school?

10. Where does Ben go after he leaves Dallas's house and what is bothering him?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The day after Rudy dies, Ben goes to the courthouse. His conversation with the sheriff gets him thinking about the value of life. The man seemed more interested in talking about the football game than he did in dealing with the life of the town drunk. That day Ben has a hard time concentrating because the events of the past few months have Ben really thinking about people and their lives. He thinks about factors in their lives that contributed to the way each person ended out.

1. Do you think Ben handled the situation with Rudy correctly? Do you think he should have called the police right after Rudy told him? Why or why not? Use examples from the text and your own life to support your answer.

2. Why do you think people devalue a human life if it is someone like the town drunk? Use examples from the text and your own life to support your answer.

3. Chose either Ben, Rudy, Dallas or Sooner and discuss how the factors in his or her life contributed to how that person became who he or she is. Use examples from the text and your own life to support your answer.

Essay Topic 2

Choose one of the following to discuss:

1. Choose two significant symbols and trace and analyze their appearance in "Deadline". 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 Crutcher 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 Crutcher chooses the metaphors he does?

3. Discuss Crutcher'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 Crutcher 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

Discuss the following:

1. What is a plot? What are the most important elements of a plot and their definition? Do all novels have a plot? Why or why not?

2. Write a brief synopsis of the plot of "Deadline", identifying where the various elements of the plot occur (exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, resolution or denouement.) Do you find it difficult to identify the plot? Why or why not? What about the various elements of the plot?

3. Identify the major sub-plots and their elements in "Deadline". (The subplots may not contain every element of a major plot.) Do the sub-plots add to the main plot? Why or why not? Are the sub-plots interesting in and of themselves? Why or why not?

(see the answer keys)

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