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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. How did the system John built perform?

2. Who is Betsy?

3. What does John say he taught himself?

4. What was preschool like for John Robison?

5. What prank did John play on his mother?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does John say he does to avoid his parents' troubles?

2. Describe John's work as a sound engineer.

3. Describe the deterioration of John's parents' marriage in chapter 7,

4. How did Rusty Nail change John's life?

5. Describe John's first encounter with a Porsche.

6. How did John's life change when he started to go on the road with rock bands?

7. What was the result of John's father's drinking?

8. Describe John's parents' strange behavior.

9. Describe John's attempts to act normal.

10. What story does John say he told the proud parents whose children would be going to Harvard and Smith?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

If you could resemble John Robison in one way, what trait of his would you chose to resemble? Why not other traits?

Essay Topic 2

Write a character sketch of the author based on his style and content. What values does he hold dear? What are his hopes and fears? What kind of person do you think he is? Anchor your sketch in passages in the book.

Essay Topic 3

If this were a novel, what themes would need to be wrapped up, in order for the book to be concluded? Why do novels need conclusions that memoirs don't need?

(see the answer keys)

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