1. What is the compromise between Ben and Dr. Wagner concerning Ben wanting to keep his illness a secret and what does the person tell him he goes to see?

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

3. What does Hey-Soos say to Ben about Dallas's sharing, and why is Ben worried?

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

5. Where does Ben go after the dance and what does he do there?

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

7. What do they find out on the day of the Horseshoe Bend game, and how will this information affect the game?

8. 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?

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

10. What does Dallas ask Ben when he sees her after the Horseshoe Bend game and what does she tell him?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the following:

1. What do you think are the characteristics of a successful novel?

2. Analyze and discuss Deadline based upon the criteria you decide upon in #1 and judge if "Deadline" is a successful novel.

3. Do you think the criteria for a successful novel should be different if it is written for adults versus young adults? Why or why not? Would most adults consider "Deadline" a successful novel? What about young teens?

Essay Topic 2

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.