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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 does Virgil's mother and other family members call him that he hates?

2. What color does Lola tell Virgil to beware of in Chapter 11?

3. What is one of the reasons Chet Bullens resents Valencia?

4. What derogatory name does Chet Bullens often call Virgil?

5. Who does Virgil see in the Super Saver in Chapter 8 that makes him nervous and excited?

Short Essay Questions

1. In Chapter 12, who comes to Valencia's door early on Saturday morning and how do they treat her?

2. In Chapter 17, how and why does Virgil end up trapped in the old well in the woods?

3. Why does Virgil's family nickname him Turtle?

4. How does Valencia feel about her own name?

5. What kind of a chart does Kaori have that she explains to Gen in Chapter 14?

6. In Chapter 15, what is Valencia looking for in the woods, and why?

7. In Chapter 11, what does Lola warn Virgil about for the day ahead?

8. Who is the student from Virgil's school who bullies him, and what does the bully usually say?

9. In Chapter 1, why does Lola suspect that Virgil is looking upset?

10. Why does Valencia think of Chet Bullens as "Scrunch"?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Chapters 8-10 take place in the Super Saver grocery store where Virgil, Chet, and Valencia are all present at the same time. Write an essay analyzing what the reader learns about each of these three characters, and their intersecting relationships, from these three chapters.

Essay Topic 2

Which characters in the book does Valencia identify as being particularly mindful of her "How-tos," or her simple set of three rules for making it easier for her to understand what people are saying to her? What does it mean to Valencia when people respect her request and make an effort to try to communicate effectively with her?

Essay Topic 3

Which characters in the book suffer most from the condition of experiencing isolation? Write an essay explaining your answer, citing specific references to the text to support your arguments.

(see the answer keys)

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