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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 does Rob describe his sexual identity?

2. With whom does Penny have a naked struggle in 2005?

3. Where is Penny's closer brother living in 2016?

4. Where is the hospital that Norm is housed at in 2016?

5. What kind of activist does Rob claim to be when Penny first meets him at the Nicotine house?

Short Essay Questions

1. Who is present when Norm dies? How is this event described?

2. Who is Rob and how does Penny meet him?

3. What is the main event that takes place in the scene from 2005? Why is this event significant?

4. Why does Penny keep her family associations with Nicotine secret when she first meets the inhabitants?

5. Who is Naomi? What are Penny's and Norm's thoughts about her?

6. How is Amalia described when she first appears in the 2016 timeline? What is her relationship like with Penny?

7. What are Norm's circumstances in 2016? Where is he?

8. How is Norm's childhood home described when Penny finds it in 2016?

9. Where is Norm's childhood home located? What is its history?

10. What happens when Matt comes to confront the squatters at Nicotine the first time?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Identify and discuss three symbols in Nicotine. What does each symbol represent? How does the symbol connect to the novel's overarching themes? What characters are connected to each symbol?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the journey made by Rob, Jazz, and Sorry in the novel. Where do they go? Why are they fleeing Jersey City? What destination do they finally arrive at? Where do they go in the ending of the novel?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the themes/motifs of cults, anarchy, and activism in Nicotine. How do these themes connect to one another? How are they illustrated through characters in the novel? How are they evoked through setting? What statement(s) do you think the author is making regarding these topics?

(see the answer keys)

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