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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. What does Virgil’s father plant?

2. What does Maricela pray for?

3. What first causes Mr. Myles to respond?

4. What does Nora notice about Mr. Myles when he is working?

5. What does Amir do for a living?

Short Essay Questions

1. What happens to the lettuce in the chapter “Virgil”?

2. Explain Sae Young’s life prior to her “accident”?

3. Why does Virgil’s father lie to Mrs. Fleck, and what does he say?

4. What brings Sae Young back out into the world, and why?

5. Why does everyone in the garden want to help the girls in the chapter “Maricela”?

6. What is Mr. Myles’ reaction to the garden?

7. How does Leona help Maricela see things differently?

8. What is the point of the program for teen mothers?

9. Describe Sam’s contest, and the winning idea.

10. What is Curtis’ reaction to his tomato plants?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Sam mentions the garden as a paradise, and compares it to Eden. Wendell points out a biblical verse “A child shall lead them.” Sam notes that the garden is a reflection of society. If this is the case, compare and contrast the society depicted by those in the beginning of the novel with the society depicted by those at the end of the novel. Do you think the garden was the only thing responsible for the change? Why or why not? How did Leona, Sam, Nora, Sae Young, and the other characters all help to make the community a better place?

Essay Topic 2

Briefly go through each of the characters in the novel, and explain how the garden helped to improve their lives, circumstances, or outlook on life. Be sure to include details of each story to show an understanding of how the garden affected the characters.

Essay Topic 3

Throughout the novel, the characters mention fighting a number of stereotypes. Choose three characters from the book, and explain how their lives have been impacted by the stereotypes either about them, held by others, or held by them about others. How do these stereotypes damage their relationships with others? What, if anything, changes them in the novel?

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This section contains 800 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample