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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. Why does Cal believe that suicide doesn't seem like something Conrad would do?

2. Why breakthrough occurs in chapter 13 for Conrad?

3. What do Cal and Beth fight about in chapter 6?

4. Where does Conrad's family go for Christmas?

5. Where do Beth and Cal go together in chapter 8?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is Cal's role in his family?

2. Why does Cal want to get Conrad a car for Christmas?

3. Why doesn't Conrad tell anybody that he has quit the swim team?

4. How is Conrad's confidence boosted at the library?

5. Looking at Beth's perfectionist personality, why does Conrad upset her so much?

6. Why doesn't Conrad first reveal that he had a brother to Dr. Berger?

7. Describe Conrad's first appointment with Dr. Berger.

8. Why does Cal want to see Dr. Berger in chapter 17?

9. What are Conrad's feelings about getting a car for Christmas?

10. Why does Conrad have trouble sleeping after his pop quiz in trigonometry class?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

What role does Karen's death play in Conrad's life? How is Karen's death significant to the progression of the novel?

Essay Topic 2

How is the title "Ordinary People" relevant to the novel's content? Why do you think the novel is called "Ordinary People"?

Essay Topic 3

Conrad has a flashback to Jordan's death after he reads about Karen's death. Why does the author include a flashback? Does it elicit a more emotional response from the reader than merely providing back story? Why or why not?

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