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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. Where are Mike and Dru going for the party?

2. What does Dru's father do after dinner?

3. Who do Mike and Dru sit next to at the party?

4. What does Dru's mother tell her when she gets home?

5. What does Dru's oldest sister do?

Short Essay Questions

1. Who do Mike and Dru see on the beach, what does Mike do about it, and how does Dru connect her and Elisa?

2. Where do Dru and Mike go for a walk and why does this upset Elisa?

3. What does Mike and Dru talk about concerning Tom's stitches and jumping?

4. Who picks Dru up at Elisa's and how does she get ready to go to the party?

5. What does MIke tell Dru about Diane, Tom and Hopi?

6. What does Mike say to Elisa about his feelings towards her?

7. What does Dru remember about the first night Mike noticed her?

8. What does Diane do when a slow song comes on and why does the music stop?

9. What does Dru say to Elisa about Scooter and what does she realize about Diane when she says it?

10. Who is Claire, what does Dru discuss with her and what does she ask Dru? What is Dru's response?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

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?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the following:

1. Who is/are the protagonists of the story and why?

2. Who is/are the antagonists of the story and why?

3. Which 3 secondary characters have the greatest impact on the plot?

4. Are any of the characters dispensable and which ones? Why or why not?

5. Do you think this is a character-driven plot or an action-driven plot? Explain.

Essay Topic 3

The seaweed crown represents how Elisa saw herself. She was a mere object of Scooter's, of no worth or value to herself or the world. The crown is made of seaweed, a smelly and filthy plant of the ocean. Elisa saw herself as a representation of the seaweed, a pitiful girl who did not deserve anything better. As the crown floats on the water, it is a reminder to all the teenagers that succumbing to insecurity will kill you, either emotionally or literally.

1. Discuss three incidences in which people have seen others only as objects and not people, for example, soldiers looking at the enemy. Use examples from the text and your own life to support your answer.

2. What do you think another teenager can do when she or he has a friend who feels worthless? Use examples from the text and your own life to support your answer.

3. Elisa felt she did not deserve anything worthwhile. Scooter seemed to treat her like this often. do you think people who feel they are not worth much are treated that way by others because they feel that way about themselves? Why or why not? Use examples from the text and your own life to support your answer.

(see the answer keys)

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