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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 Reggie need?

2. What does Ruby realize in the morning?

3. Why does Ruby ride with Nate to school on Monday morning?

4. What does Ruby say when asked where her mother is?

5. What does Jaime want Ruby to do?

Short Essay Questions

1. What has Jaime bought for himself, Ruby, Cora and Roscoe and how do Ruby and Cora react?

2. What does Ruby want to do with the money Cora gives her for clothes, and what does she ultimately do?

3. What does Ruby think about her mother?

4. What does Nate do for his father on a regular basis?

5. Who is Marshall and what kind of relationship do Ruby and Marshall have?

6. What does Ruby learn at the fish store and what fish does Ruby choose?

7. What has Olivia verified and how does she feel about it?

8. What happens when Nate takes Ruby back to her former home?

9. In what condition is the house that the Honeycutts own when they come by to check on the place and what do they do?

10. What discussion do Jaime and Mr. Thackray have when Jaime brings Ruby to enroll in school?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Characters are an important part of what makes Lock and Key interesting. Discuss the following:

1. Thoroughly discuss and analyze Ruby. 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 Nate. What are his strengths? His weaknesses? How does he contribute to the plot? Is he a sympathetic character? Is he ever likable? Never likable? Use specific examples to illustrate your ideas.

3. Thoroughly discuss and analyze the character of Cora. 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.

4. Thoroughly discuss and analyze the character of Olivia. 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 2

Harriett explains that in her family, someone is always mad at someone else and so the two are not speaking. However, later there will be some different argument so the two have to make up in order to band against someone else. Harriett seems to believe this is typical of families and Reggie says this explains a great deal about Harriett. His own thoughts about families are very different. He talks about shared history and beginnings. As they laugh at each other's thoughts, they both realize they are considered the black sheep of their respective families. Ruby will later come to discover that shared traits and situations are important to families and friendships.

1. Discuss Harriett's character explaining how the way her family interacts might have helped form the person she is as an adult. Use examples from Lock and Key and your own life to support your reasoning.

2. Discuss Reggie's character explaining how the way his family interacts might have helped form the person he is as an adult. Use examples from Lock and Key and your own life to support your reasoning.

3. Discuss, in detail, what issues you think Harriett and Reggie might have to deal with given their backgrounds and views on family if they were to ever get married. Use examples from Lock and Key and your own life to support your reasoning.

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the following:

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

2. Analyze and discuss Lock and Key based upon the criteria you decide upon in #1 and judge if Lock and Key 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 Lock and Key a successful novel? What about young teens?

(see the answer keys)

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