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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 Motorcycle Boy get his name?

2. What does Rusty-James do to help himself feel better?

3. To what is Rusty-James referring when he says, "...Just one...I like to keep things simple, and God knows even one can be complicated enough."

4. In Chapter 2, where does Rusty-James go after storming out of Benny's?

5. After going to the guidance office, where does Rusty-James go when he leaves school?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is Rusty-James' driving motivation?

2. What does Rusty-James mean when he says that Motorcycle Boy is living in a glass bubble?

3. Why does Steve worry about everyone coming to witness the fight between Rusty-James and Biff?

4. How do the type of classes Rusty-James has in school impact his character?

5. Why does Rusty-James leave at midnight to go out with Smokey and his cousin?

6. Why does Smokey believe that no one will follow Rusty-James into a knife fight?

7. Why does Rusty-James believe all the people he cares about "talk about weird things?"

8. Why does Steve think people in the neighborhood will have a heart attack if Rusty-James goes home?

9. What happens to Rusty-James when he is frisked by the police?

10. How does Rusty-James settle his problems?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

At the onset of the flashback, gang violence has been all but stopped due to Motorcycle Boy. Rusty-James hangs on to the "rules" and becomes furious when the rules are broken. At the same time, Rusty-James wants to be like Motorcycle Boy. Explain how Rusty-James' actions contradict his goal. Find descriptions from the text to support your answer and to provide evidence for your opinion.

Essay Topic 2

What is the significance of Steve's being on vacation, going to school, and having a steady girlfriend at the onset of the novel? Find descriptions from the text to support your answer and to provide evidence for your opinion.

Essay Topic 3

What is the importance of Rusty-James' knife scar? Why is this an important detail about his character? Find descriptions from the text to support your answer and to provide evidence for your opinion.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 598 words (approx. 2 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample