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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. When Theresa returns to the Cape, how long had it been since the events began?

2. Where is Theresa at the start of the book?

3. What does Garrett own that was mentioned in the letters Theresa found?

4. When Garrett puts a message in the bottle, how far does it travel from its original destination?

5. What does Theresa find when she stops to put her shoes back on?

Short Essay Questions

1. Where is Theresa at the start of the book, and why is she there?

2. Why does Theresa want to write an introduction to the message?

3. Where does the letter come from and who determines the location from which it was sent?

4. What are Garrett feelings after inviting Theresa on board his boat?

5. What is Theresa's plan when she arrives in Wilmington?

6. What was Theresa excited about before she read the message in the bottle she first found on the beach?

7. Why was Theresa in Cape Cod during the summer prior to the beginning of the story?

8. Who does Theresa go to after finding the third message and why?

9. How do Garrett and Theresa spend lunch and the afternoon?

10. Why does Theresa want to put everything aside after finding the second message?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Compare the characters of Theresa and Garrett from the beginning of the story to the end. How does each character develop? Do they develop positive or negative characteristics? Do they help one another overcome their previous loss or hinder one another from moving on? Use the book to support your discussion.

Essay Topic 2

Nicholas Sparks ends the story on an ironic note. In an essay, define the meaning of irony and apply it to the ending. How does Sparks include an ironic twist at the end? How does it affect the story line and the characters? Discuss why Sparks may have chosen to end "Message in a Bottle" in the way he did and what he accomplished with the ending. Use examples from the book to support your statements.

Essay Topic 3

Why is Theresa so eager to get a commitment from Garrett even after such a short amount of time? Do you think her reading the letters cloud her judgment toward Garrett? Whom do you think Theresa wants the commitment with: the Garrett of the letters or the man she just met? Use the novel to support your statements.

(see the answer keys)

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