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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 Scooter say about Mike and the party?

2. How do Mike and Dru get back to Mike's car?

3. What does Elisa do when Dru shows her the mangled boot?

4. What would Diane like Mike to do at college on the weekends?

5. What do those who jump off the Nail do to commemorate their job?

Short Essay Questions

1. What happens when Dru shows Elisa the mangled boot?

2. Why does Jeremy know about the girl who was injured jumping, and what happens with his talk with Scooter the night before the jump?

3. What does Mike say about Scooter jumping?

4. What does Dru want to do once she and Mike get back to the top of the Nail, who is Hopi and what does he give Dru?

5. What is it like at the Nail right before Elisa and Scooter jump, what does Lizzie say and what does Mike do with Dru?

6. What is the Nail and who has been hurt on it?

7. What does Scooter do while he is waiting for Elisa, what does Dru ask Elisa about Scooter's behavior and what is Elisa's response?

8. How does Dru get to talk to Elisa, what does Dru say to her and what is her response?

9. What does Jeremy say to Dru when she sees him?

10. What has Dru just finished, and what is she thinking about as she walks her dog looking at houses?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The boot symbolizes an omen. It is shredded and floats atop the water eerily. It is black, the color of mourning or death, showing that something ominous had occurred when Elisa was in the water. Even Elisa's foot is red and blotchy. Elisa cannot talk. All of this foreshadows that Elisa lost a part of herself underwater, or in other words, experienced a death of her true self.

1. What is an omen? Do you think it is the same as foreshadow? Discuss what you thought when you read of the boot and what significance you thought it might have. Use examples from the text and your own life to support your answer.

2. Discuss the symbolism of the boot in Elisa's life and, in some small degree, in all the teenagers who have conjugated at the Nail. Use examples from the text and your own life to support your answer.

3. Do you think Elisa lost a part of her true self underwater or do you think she has been losing that since she started to date Scooter? Why or why not? Use examples from the text and your own life to support your answer.

Essay Topic 2

Characters are an important part of what makes "Jumping the Nail" interesting. Discuss the following:

1. Thoroughly discuss and analyze Dru. What are her strengths? Her weaknesses? How does she contribute to the plot? Is she a sympathetic character? Is she ever likable? Never likable? Use specific examples to illustrate your ideas.

2. Thoroughly discuss and analyze the character of the Mike. What are his strengths? His weaknesses? How does he contribute to the plot? Is he a sympathetic character? Is he always likable? Never likable? Use specific examples to illustrate your ideas.

3. Thoroughly discuss and analyze the character of Elisa. What are her strengths? Her weaknesses? How does she contribute to the plot? Is she a sympathetic character? Is she ever likable? Never likable? Use specific examples to illustrate your ideas.

Essay Topic 3

Jumping the Nail falls in the genre called youth. Discuss the following:

1. What is the definition of genre? Youth genre? How do you know "Jumping the Nail" falls in the genre of youth novel? Give examples.

2. Other than entertainment, why do you think people might read youth novel?

3. Fantasy is sometimes considered second-rate fiction--i.e. that it is not good enough to be studied in academe. Why do you think this is true? Do you think it is a valid argument?

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