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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. The boy has enough money in his pocket to travel by _______, but he prefers to travel by bike as it's less confined.

2. What do the old man at the rest stop and the boy look at when the boy stops in Aswell on his bike trip?

3. Where were Adam and his father headed when they had to jump into the alley and into the woods?

4. Adam recalls that Brint asked Adam about ______________ at the beginning.

5. The _________ in Adam increases, though he tries not to take a pill or a shot to calm down.

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Adam discover about his bike when the section begins and the bike journey continues?

2. What is the mild threat that Brint gives to Adam when Adam will not respond to him during the interrogation?

3. What does Brint tell Adam when he finds out Adam has been refusing all of things he has been refusing?

4. What does Adam ask Brint about Paul Delmonte when the name is brought up again?

5. What does the rain do to Adam when he is traveling on his bike on his journey?

6. Why does Adam get mad at the boy as he is watching an interaction between the boy and his mother?

7. How does Brint challenge Adam when Adam says that he does not believe that Brint is a doctor?

8. Why were Adam and his parents taking that initial bus ride away from their home?

9. What is so special about Benton Falls, the place where Adam decides to spend the night as he continues his bike journey?

10. What does Adam realize is the dog's intention for him when he is riding his bike?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Paul refers to his medication at various points of the story, pointing to some sort of mental disorder.

Part 1: What kind of medication do you think Paul might be taking?

Part 2: Why doesn't Paul want to take his medication at the start of the story? Does this seem to be a wise decision? Why or why not?

Part 3: How might the story have been different had Paul taken his medication?

Essay Topic 2

The interrogation scenes are a strong and powerful source of details in the story. At the same time, they can be frustrating for the reader.

Part 1: Why do you think the author chose to use interrogation scenes in this book?

Part 2: Do you think the interrogation scenes were necessary to include in this book? Why or why not?

Part 3: Why do you think the flashbacks were used in the book? Would it have been more effective to tell the story from start to finish instead? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 3

While Adam seems to be a slightly older boy in the story, it also seems he has a lot of connection to his childhood.

Part 1: In what ways is Adam still like a child in the book?

Part 2: Why do you think Adam chooses to sing "Farmer in the Dell" so many times?

Part 3: Do you think Adam is a mature person or an immature person? Why?

(see the answer keys)

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