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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 will Mike's mother do in the fall?

2. Why does Mike say Tom and Diane will probably break up?

3. What does Scooter tell Elisa?

4. What does Dru tell Mike when he calls?

5. What does Hopi do with Diane while Tom watches them?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Elisa notice when Scooter leaves to get a drink, what does she tell Dru and what is Dru's response?

2. What does Claire ask Dru about Diane?

3. What does Elisa want Dru to warn Tom about and what does Dru say to Tom?

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

5. What is Diane wearing to the celebration, what does she proclaim Scooter and Elisa and with what does she present them?

6. What does Tom announce when the music stops and what does Diane do after the announcement?

7. What happens when Dru's family first arrives at Mike's house, how is the dinner and why does Janie irritate Dru?

8. Where has Dru and her family been invited, how does her mother react to the invitation and how does Dru feel about it?

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

10. How many stitches does Tom receive, what does Grant tell the doctor and why did Grant lie to the doctor? How does Diane react to Tom's jump?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Titles often play a vital role in making a person decide to read a particular book. Discuss the following:

1. Fully explain why you think "Jumping the Nail" is titled as such. Do you think it is the best title for the book? Why or why not? Can you think of a better title? Why would you choose it?

2. How important is a title in influencing you to consider reading a book? Explain your answer.

3. Do you think a title needs to have direct relevance to a book's content? Explain your answer.

4. Have you ever read a book that when you finished, you do not understand the relevance of the title? Does it discourage you from "trusting" that particular author again?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the following:

1. What do you think are the characteristics of a successful novel?

2. Analyze and discuss "Jumping the Nail" based upon the criteria you decide upon in #1, and judge if "Jumping the Nail" is a successful novel.

3. Do you think the criteria for a successful novel should be different if it is written for adults versus young adults? Why or why not? Would most adults consider "Jumping the Nail" a successful novel? What about young teens?

Essay Topic 3

There is now a second car and a second drowned girl under the water. They sink to the deepest part of the sea, where no one can find them except those who jump the Nail. Therefore, the jumpers will delve into the deepest part of their insecurities, causing them to be swallowed whole by their insecure motivations. "Jumping the Nail" will return someday because there will always be teenagers with insecurities who are easily influenced by their peers.

1. Discuss what you think is meant by the statement above. Use examples from the text and your own life to support your answer.

2. Do you think it is only insecure teens who succumb to peer pressure? Why or why not? Use examples from the text and your own life to support your answer.

3. Discuss, in depth, other reasons besides insecurity that a teen might decide to jump off the Nail. Use examples from the text and your own life to support your answer.

(see the answer keys)

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