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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. After an hour of trying to persuade the child, what did the technician suggest?

2. In the hospital room, Colton told Todd that what happened?

3. Why was Colton yelling for his father?

4. When talking about a funeral, why did Colton become quite distraught?

5. Colton absolutely refused to do what?

Short Essay Questions

1. How was the burst appendix a dire situation? Could this have been prevented? Why or why not?

2. Why did the flu or food poisoning seem to be likely causes for Colton's illness?

3. What is the significance of Colton's reaction to his favorite action figure?

4. What complications occurred after the surgery?

5. How was life difficult after the surgery?

6. What surprising information was learned at Arby's? Why was this surprising?

7. Colton said he did homework in heaven. What kind of homework might this have been? Why?

8. How was this trip to Greeley supposed to be celebratory?

9. How did the Burpos realize something unusual has happened to their son?

10. Why did Colton yell for his father? How is this important?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Colton knows about his father first deciding to be a pastor.

Part 1) When did Todd decide to be a pastor? What led him to this decision? How is it surprising that Colton knew about this decision and how he came to make it?

Part 2) How does this knowledge of Todd's decision to become a pastor help support the possibility that Colton went to heaven? What other proof is there in this book to support this astounding trip?

Part 3) In what ways could someone show this proof of a trip to heaven to be invalid? How can Colton's stories of heaven be proven to be nothing more than a little boy's imagination?

Essay Topic 2

Todd sees the shadow of death in Colton's room.

Part 1) What is the shadow of death? Why does Todd see it? How is this significant? What does this foreshadow?

Part 2) How does this vision of the shadow of death make Colton's story even more amazing?

Part 3) What other details of this story make Colton's trip to heaven and back more shocking, yet believable?

Essay Topic 3

Todd gives an incomplete confession.

Part 1) What does Todd Confess? Why does he make this confession? How is it an incomplete confession? Why does he leave this information out? What does this say about him?

Part 2) When does Todd finally confess fully what happened to his son and to his family? Why does he finally make this confession? How do others react to it? How does this affect the Burpo family?

Part 3) How does Todd's reluctance to confess reveal his doubt? How is he like Doubting Thomas? How do you compare to Doubting Thomas and Todd? Explain.

(see the answer keys)

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