View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. Who does Spider ask Rivera to check on in Pine Cove?

2. What does Gian put into his Kool Aid?

3. What do Travis and Jennifer do all evening?

4. What is Effrom's last thought before passing out?

5. What does Amanda find in Effrom's workshop?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does Robert think he is being arrested, and what, in fact, are the actual charges?

2. How do Augustus and Gian catch Travis at the end of Chapter 24?

3. Explain what happens to Robert and Jennifer, Effrom, and Rivera during Chapter 36.

4. Summarize the story of how Travis called Catch.

5. What does Rivera not report the bullet hole he finds in the Elliott's home?

6. Explain why Augustus lets Travis go.

7. Summarize the history of the Sacred Caves.

8. How does Gian explain lying about what will happen to Catch, and how does Augustus respond?

9. Explain the plan Howard, Robert, Travis, Augustus, and Gian plan in the Head of the Slug in Chapter 32.

10. Why does Catch want to kidnap Jennifer at the end of Chapter 28?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Comedy plays a central role in the novel, as the author often uses humor to lighten the storyline. Choose one plot line from the choices below, and explain how the author uses humor to enhance the storyline:

1. Catch's character development

2. Robert's slow decline in life

3. Mavis' slow body decline.

Essay Topic 2

Throughout the novel, the lives of the characters prove to be connected in ways they do not understand. Amanda and Travis are connected through their night on the train, Nailsworth is involved with Roxanne, who is Billy, who has been eaten by Catch, and so forth. Rivera is asked to check on Roxanne, and is connected with Robert and The Breeze through an impending drug bust. This interconnectedness appears to suggest an order for the universe, which is in direct contrast to Augustus' belief in chaos.

Using examples from the book, explain which view of the universe you believe the novel represents. Are the situations in the novel chaotic in nature, or based on an orderly undercurrent? Why do you believe this is the case? What does this say about the author's view of the universe? Does this coincide with the religious undertones of the novel? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 3

Throughout the story, there is a constant theme that a secret, supernatural world underlies the mundane, everyday world these characters exist in each day. Several events in the novel point to this supernatural world, and some of these events are small in terms of the plot of the novel, but larger when viewed from an overall standpoint. Choose one of these types of events, explain it in detail, and then analyze how such an event indicates such an underlying world.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 954 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample