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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 do the reporters mistakenly call Vernesha?

2. What did Tyrell and Tariq used to do together to make money?

3. What does Tyrell's father tell him about speaking to reporters?

4. What does Noodle do to Jennica in Chapter 8 that makes her view him differently?

5. What door does Tina steal the key to in Chapter 8?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Redeema tell Vernesha about letting Terrence back into their lives?

2. What problem is Tyrell struggling with after Tariq's death that he can not find a way to solve?

3. What did Tariq and Brick have in common that was the basis of their unique bond?

4. How does Tina react when her estranged father Terrence Johnson comes to her apartment for the first time after Tariq's funeral?

5. What does Noodle do to Jennica in Chapter 8 that physically hurts her?

6. What does Jennica ask Tyrell to do at Brick's party?

7. What makes Tyrell so sad about his memories of the day he and Tariq threw water balloons off the top of Tyrell's building?

8. Where does Melody volunteer and what happens when she goes to her volunteer position for the first time after Tariq's death?

9. What activity does Tyrell remember as some of the best times he had with Tariq, Sammy, and Junior when they were younger?

10. How does Jennica feel several days after Tariq's shooting?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Magoon uses several characters who were closest to Tariq - like Tyrell and Tina - to develop Tariq's character and show how much his friendship and often kind nature meant to them. Choose one character whose memories develop Tariq's character in this way and write an essay detailing what the reader learns about Tariq through this character's eyes.

Essay Topic 2

On the very first page of this novel, in the section titled The Incident, Magoon writes that there are few known facts surrounding the shooting death of Tariq Johnson. However, it becomes clear in the following pages that there are six separate eyewitnesses to the crime. Write an essay explaining why the known facts about Tariq's death are so few despite the fact that so many eyewitnesses were present.

Essay Topic 3

Choose two characters who have exact opposite opinions about one of the most critical issues concerning the night Tariq was shot - whether or not Tariq had a gun in his hand at the time of his death - and write an essay explaining why each of the characters seems absolutely sure that what he or she saw was correct.

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