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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. How does Eddie feel about the safety of Ruby Pier?

2. What causes the Blue Man's death?

3. Where does the reader learn that Eddie and three other soldiers are being held?

4. In the scene played out in Chapter Five, what does Joe do to make Eddie angry?

5. In death, what step is Ruby Pier for the Blue Man?

Short Essay Questions

1. In Chapter Six, what do the readers learn of Eddie's expectations of himself and from his life? Are these expectations met?

2. What happens at Freddy Free Fall to cause Eddie to reevaluate the safety of this ride?

3. What happens when Eddie realizes the danger is not over at the Freddy Free Fall?

4. Discuss the foreshadowing of Uncle Mickey's character with regard to his actions towards Eddie on his fifth birthday.

5. Discuss the meaning of the Captain's quote, "When you sacrifice something that is precious, you don't actually lose it. "

6. In Chapter Seven, how does Mitch Albom use suspense to propel the action?

7. How does the author traverse time and introduce the reader to different points in Eddie's life?

8. When the action returns to Ruby Pier, the reader finds the park closed. How does Eddie's death impact the Pier?

9. What is the symbolism of the water in Chapter Two?

10. The Captain tells Eddie that dying is only the beginning. What could the Captain mean by this statement?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Albom changes the setting many times throughout the novel, but Ruby Pier remains as the main focus. Discuss how the Ruby Pier of Eddie's childhood, the Ruby Pier of the past, and the Ruby Pier of the present serve as effective settings for the novel.

Essay Topic 2

Marguerite tells Eddie "Life might end, but love does not." At the point in the novel that Marguerite shares this insight with Eddie, he is learning that he has made many connections with various people on earth. How might Eddie now understand that Marguerite's advice is relevant to the relationships he has had with other family members, as well as with her? How might her advice be connected to Eddie's job and relationships with the children he keeps safe?

Essay Topic 3

The Blue Man tells Eddie, "That there are no random acts. That we are all connected. That you can no more separate one life from another than you can separate a breeze from the wind." (p. 48, ll. 1-3) Show how this quote is one of the main lessons throughout the novel. Be sure to cite at least three specific examples and connect them back to the quote.

(see the answer keys)

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