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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 happened to the one teacher who took a special interest in VJ?

2. What does Marsha learn about VJ's school attendance from his principal?

3. Who threatens Marsha while she's trying to track down Orlando Martinez?

4. What does VJ show Victor?

5. What does Marsha learn at the Chimera daycare center?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Victor realize about the threatening attacks on the Frank home by Gephardt?

2. What is the result of Marsha's discussion with her colleagues about VJ during Chapter 9?

3. What do Victor and Marsha decide about VJ?

4. What does Victor finally admit to his wife in Chapter 9?

5. What seems to have prompted VJ to stop going to daycare?

6. What happens to Sharon Carver at the end of Chapter 9?

7. What do the police do about the dead body Marsha finds when she arrives home?

8. What does Marsha learn about Richie Blakemore?

9. How does Victor react when he begins to wonder whether Marsha may be right?

10. What does Marsha learn about David and VJ's relationship before David died?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the idea in the novel of special privilege for the gifted.

1) Why does Victor believe that VJ should have special privileges? What special privileges does Victor want for VJ?

2) Why does Marsha disagree with Victor about special privileges for VJ, and to what extent? What are Marsha's arguments?

3) What does the author imply about the danger of special privileges for the gifted?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the settings of the novel.

1) Discuss the setting of the Chimera compound. How does the size of the compound affect the story? How does the security of the compound affect the story?

2) Discuss the setting of the clock tower and river. What do the clock tower and river add to the tone and mood of the story? How do they help the plot of the story to develop?

3) How do the time the novel is set in and the time period the novel was written in affect it? Will the novel continue to be relevant as time passes?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss secretiveness in the novel.

1) What secrets does VJ keep in the novel? Why does VJ keep secrets? Why don't his parents realize what he's doing?

2) What secrets does Victor keep in the novel? Why does he keep these secrets? What would Victor lose or gain by making his discoveries public and being more open about his research?

(see the answer keys)

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