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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. While living in Clifton, how does Jessie style her hair each day?

2. Why does Jessie walk on the grass while leaving Clifton?

3. At the end of Chapter 8, what does Jessie wonder about her holiday celebrations growing up?

4. What does Jessie say is haunted in Clifton?

5. How does Ma help Jessie escape Clifton at the end of Chapter 5?

Short Essay Questions

1. After watching Clifton from the outside point of view, what does Jessie think of people in 1996?

2. What does Jessie think when she first sees a row of school buses?

3. How does Jessie avoid being caught by Clifton security in Chapter 6?

4. In Chapter 10, how does Jessie try to leave Clifton grounds?

5. In Chapter 5, what does Ma tell Jessie about clothing?

6. What does Jessie do after leaving the bathroom in Chapter 7?

7. What does Ma reveal to Jessie about Clifton?

8. What do Jessie's parents do to make their living in Clifton?

9. In Chapter 1, what rule does Ma have for Jessie coming with her on a house call?

10. Why does Jessie's mother leave the house in the middle of the night in Chapter 1?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Analyze the title, "Running Out of Time", in relationship to the events of this novel. What makes the title appropriate? How is the title symbolic?

Essay Topic 2

Examine the plot development of "Running Out of Time", and then compare it to a traditional plot arc. What elements line up between these two? What do not? How do the elements of the plot of this novel strengthen the reader's interest?

Essay Topic 3

Compare and contrast the adults in this novel that live in Clifton and the adults who live in 1996. What makes these similarities and differences significant? How do their similarities and differences affect the development of the plot?

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