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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 item does Cece begin to notice her hospital roommate getting "all the time" (5), though Cece never gets any?

2. What nice thing does Cece's sister do for her when she returns home from the hospital?

3. When Cece hears the teachers talking in the staff lounge, what is Mrs. Lufton saying?

4. Who tries to teach Cece the sign language alphabet at Ginny's birthday sleepover party?

5. How does Cece feel when she finds she is able to hear Mrs. Lufton wherever she is in the school?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is the significance of Cece's state of mind before her first time hanging out with Emma since her stay at the hospital?

2. Discuss how Bell communicate Cece's hearing impairment to the reader before Cece knows it herself within the narrative?

3. How does the theme of cruelty emerge within Cece's interactions with Laura throughout their first and second grade years?

4. Discuss how and when Bell makes it clear that the novel has serious themes, despite its status as a graphic novel.

5. What is the author's purpose for including images related to fishing on page 60?

6. What are the visual signatures that Cece Bell uses to depict the imagined activities of Cece's alter ego?

7. What are the reader's earliest clues that Cece's friendship with Laura may not be a good match?

8. Discuss the irony present in the scene when Cece declares, "Just call me El Deafo!" (68).

9. Discuss how the theme of appearance versus reality is depicted in the scene when the kids in Cece's new neighborhood turn the radio louder for her.

10. How is the theme of family bonds depicted within Cece's return home from the hospital?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Explicate the theme of family bonds within Cece Bell's graphic novel memoir El Deafo. What is the author's message regarding family bonds and how do you know?

Essay Topic 2

Analyze the author's focus on the theme of transformation in the novel Cece Bell's graphic novel memoir El Deafo. What message is the author sending about change and about one other theme of your choice?

Essay Topic 3

State whether you think the portrayals of the main characters within Cece Bell's graphic novel memoir El Deafo are believable or not. Be sure to discuss the reasons for your conclusions.

(see the answer keys)

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