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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. Where does the situation in the wire report take place?

2. How does Dan realize that something is wrong in his house?

3. How old is Ralphie?

4. Who does Griffin pretend to be to Eleanor?

5. Who is Cindy?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Eleanor ask Dan?

2. Why is Griffin upset about Robish and Hank?

3. What makes Jesse Bard scared about the report Winston is reading the first morning at the sheriff's department?

4. What does Bard tell Dan about Dan's feelings?

5. What does Ralphie do while everyone's attention is on Cindy?

6. Who shows up at the house that night?

7. How does Dan react when the police pick up Cindy and Flick and what does he believe?

8. What does Ralphie do when he comes home?

9. During the first scene at the Hilliard house, how does Eleanor feel when her family are all gone off to their daily places, and what does she do?

10. What do the police department do about their information?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The ending of Desperate Hours comes when the last convict, Glen Griffin, is out of the house and killed by the police. Answer the following questions in a well-developed essay using examples from the book as well as personal experience:

1. Why do you think Dan will not kill Griffin even when Griffin asks him to?

2. Do you think Glen could have come out of the situation alive? Would he want to? Why does he not care about living? Is his brother really that important to him?

3. Did the police have no alternative than to shoot Glen? It says Glen was waving the gun, not that he was aiming the gun at anyone. Should the police tried to get Glen to drop the gun first before killing him?

Essay Topic 2

Tensions begin to mount halfway through Act 2, and Griffin seems to be losing control of the other two convicts. Answer the following questions in a well-developed essay using examples from the book as well as personal experience:

1. Do you think the other two men had originally decided that Griffin was their leader? How do you think it was determined who took charge?

2. Who is in charge of the Hilliard family? Why do you think this is so? Do you think the dynamics of the family would be different in the 21st century? Would the same person still be in charge?

3. Who else in the book seems to demonstrate leadership qualities besides Dan and Glen? Does anyone?

Essay Topic 3

In Act 3, Robish is convinced that someone is moving in on the house, but Griffin feels that the two remaining convicts are safe and will soon be on their way to Helen and Hank, who should be waiting in Louisville. Answer the following questions in a well-developed essay using examples from the book as well as personal experience:

1. Do you think truly believes that he and Robish are safe? Is Griffin cracking under the stress of the situation?

2. Now with Hank gone from the house, do you think Griffin is becoming more careless and less caring about what happens to him and Robish?

3. Sometimes a leader will crack under stress and can no longer think clearly or make rational choices. Is this what is happening to Griffin? Do you think the Hilliard family would be in greater danger if Griffin cracks completely?

(see the answer keys)

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