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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 distinguishes Brandon from Ghost and his friends?

2. What does Ghost go to the bus stop for?

3. What grade is Ghost in?

4. How long ago did Ghost’s father get arrested?

5. What was Ghost’s father doing when the cops arrived?

Short Essay Questions

1. What happened when Ghost’s father “lost it” (5)?

2. Where does Ghost take his name from?

3. What is Ghost’s relationship with basketball?

4. Why is Ghost so fascinated with the Guinness Book of World Records?

5. What does Ghost do during the time he is altercation-free?

6. What is Coach Brody’s response to Ghost when Ghost says that he is tired, after half a dozen sprints?

7. What does Coach Brody tell his athletes about the team they are on?

8. What are “ladders” to Ghost and the other runners (62)?

9. How does the team handle it when Lu starts insulting Ghost?

10. How does Coach Brody end up being the one to come get Ghost from school?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

How would you rewrite Ghost, if you were to adapt it and make it your own. What part of the book would you preserve? What part would you change? Explain your motivation for the changes you would make.

Essay Topic 2

Evaluate the ending of Ghost. Does it ring true to you? Does it successfully resolve the problems and tensions that preceded it? What would you change, if anything? What are you left wishing for closure on, if anything? Does it make you want to read the sequel?

Essay Topic 3

In a number of places, key characters behave really admirably toward Ghost, helping him stay on track and excel. How are these characters different from the characters you might meet in typical stories of young black men whose fathers are gone or in prison? Describe what makes Ghost different. Pick a scene and say how a stereotypical story would go.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 782 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample