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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 is Maggie's daughter's name?

2. Why does Patrick knock on Maggie's door?

3. What does Vannie tell him afterward?

4. What are his first words to her?

5. How long into the game is it when the first goal is scored for Brazil?

Short Essay Questions

1. How long, and in what capacity, does Maggie work for Barry?

2. What attributes enable Will to play outstanding football in England until he leaves Fulham Road Primary School?

3. Why has Maggie decided to write her story?

4. What does Maggie discuss with Dr. Green?

5. Who records Maggie's song first and how does Maggie feel about it?

6. How do Patrick O'Malley and Maggie Bradford meet?

7. What does Vannie do that is inappropriate and fosters Will's sexual indifference to women?

8. What are the things that help Maggie to finally relax around Patrick?

9. What is the largest explanation that Maggie has to clarify?

10. How does Will behave when he meets the manager of the Hammersmith Rangers, Allan Thomas?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Celebrity status can sometimes be a get out of jail free card. In Will's case, what kinds of indiscretions did he get away with as a result of his status? How did he abuse his celebrity status where women were concerned? Why were women so eager to be so badly treated by him? How many real celebrities can you think of who have abused their status as celebrities in this manner? Would they have been the same person without the fame? Would they have had the same demeanor with women?

Essay Topic 2

In this novel, Will exhibits an instinct for luring in women by telling them what they want or need to hear in order to get them into bed. How do instincts play a role in human beings where their survival is concerned? What instinctive quality do we all have that enables us to survive? What conditions might cause us to ignore this instinct? Under what conditions might you ignore a survival instinct?

Essay Topic 3

The legal system has many flaws but what might be seen as one of its greatest is the treatment that witnesses are forced to endure by opposing council. In this novel, which witness is browbeaten on the stand for the sake of 'justice'? How does this scenario compare to real life trials and their witnesses? Is it likely that cases of rape or sexual misconduct go unreported because witnesses fear this kind of character assassination on the stand? What recent cases in life can be compared to this issue? Should the legal rules be changed to protect those who come forward with claims of sexual abuse?

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