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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 Dru tell Mike about sex?

2. What do Diane and Hopi do?

3. Where do Dru and Mike go for a walk from the party?

4. What does Diane do when she comes up to Mike and Dru?

5. What does Dru tell Elisa?

Short Essay Questions

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

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

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

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

5. Why does Dru get angry with her mother, what does she say and how does her mother respond?

6. What does Mike ask Dru out on the terrace, and what is her response?

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

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

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

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

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.

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the following:

1. What is a plot? What are the most important elements of a plot and their definition? Do all novels have a plot? Why or why not?

2. Write a brief synopsis of the plot of "Jumping the Nail", identifying where the various elements of the plot occur (Exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, resolution or denouement.) Do you find it difficult to identify the plot? Why or why not? What about the various elements of the plot?

3. Identify the major sub-plots and their elements in "Jumping the Nail". (The subplots may not contain every element of a major plot). Do the sub-plots add to the main plot? Why or why not. Are the sub-plots interesting in and of themselves? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 3

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?

(see the answer keys)

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