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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 is Dru's response to Elisa?

2. Who has engineered the celebration for Elisa and Scooter?

3. What does Mike say to Tom?

4. What does Mike tell her about what she has to do?

5. What does Dru say about the police?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Mike feel about the invitation to Dru's family and what does he say about telling an adult about the jumping?

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

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

4. How does Elisa feel about going up to the presentation, what does Dru tell her and what does she continue to see?

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

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

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

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

9. Where does everyone go from the celebration and what does Dru promise Elisa?

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

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Characters are an integral and important part of almost all novels. Discuss the following:

1. Compare/contrast the characters of Dru and Diane. How are they similar? How are they different? Is there a flaw in each of their personalities? Be specific and give examples.

2. Compare/contrast the characters of Mike and Scooter. How do they seem different? Which do you like more? Why? Which one seems more of a well-rounded character?

3. Thoroughly analyze how three of the secondary characters in "Jumping the Nail" help drive the plot and what their contribution is to the storyline. Are any of the secondary characters unnecessary? Indispensable? Which of the secondary characters are likable? Which are either unlikable or even despicable? Be specific and give examples.

Essay Topic 2

Dru is a bit guilty of catering to her boyfriend, just like Elisa. Mike is not controlling, but she will do certain things for him. She goes to the Spindrift, though she does not feel like it. She wears her hair the way he likes it. She looks longingly at her new clothes for Northwestern, a place that represents distance from Mike. In a subliminal way, Mike gets in her head. And she submits to what he wants.

1. Do you think it is positive or negative behavior to do certain things for another person even if you don't necessarily want to do them yourself? Why or why not? Use examples from the text and your own life to support your answer.

2. Do you think there is a part of Dru who believes she is giving up too much of herself to date Mike? Why or why not? Use examples from the text and your own life to support your answer.

3. Do you think the female in a relationship tends to give up more than the male? Why or why not? Use examples from the text and your own life to support your answer.

Essay Topic 3

In some sense, most novels, deal with the concept of good and evil. Discuss the following:

1. What are the forces allied with "good" in Jumping the Nail's world and what forces are allied with "evil"?

2. How does one distinguish good from evil? How is good distinguished from evil in "Jumping the Nail"?

3.Is there a universal consensus on what constitutes good or evil? Why or why not?

4. Do you generally agree with the ideas of good and evil in "Jumping the Nail"? Why or why not?

5. What are several examples of good and evil in your culture? Do you agree with these ideas? Why or why not?

(see the answer keys)

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