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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 Gene almost miss when they return to school?

2. What does Finny wear in support of the first Allied bombing?

3. Who calls Gene while he is at school?

4. Where does Gene go instead of Devon?

5. What does Finny confess to have had during the fall?

Short Essay Questions

1. What sport does Finny think is a horrible addition to the summer athletics program?

2. What does the doctor say about the outcome of Finny's injury?

3. What happens as Gene loses his balance on the branch with Finny?

4. What does Gene do one night that leads him to conclude he "will never stumble through the confusions of [his] own character again?"

5. What is Gene the only witness to?

6. Describe the opening scene of Devon when the Fall Session convenes.

7. After Gene leaps from the branch into the water, how does Finny respond?

8. What is Finny's mistake that he makes when having tea with the substitute headmaster Mr. Patch-Wilders?

9. Who is the narrator of "A Separate Peace"?

10. What does Finny convince Gene they should do before they head back to Devon?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The death of Finny is a scene that shocks the reader, and yet at the same time, it almost seems a blessing for this character.

Part 1: Why was Finny's original accident the worst thing that could have happened to him?

Part 2: How does Finny handle his initial accident as compared to his second accident?

Part 3: Do you think the death of Finny was necessary to tell this story? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 2

Competition seems to be another large theme in this book, with the boys competing with each other for anything and everything they can.

Part 1: List three specific competitions the boys engage in.

Part 2: What does the competitive nature of Gene and Finny say about their friendship?

Part 3: Why do you think the author made Gene the one that excels in academics while Finny excels in sports?

Essay Topic 3

It's interesting to note that parents aren't mentioned often in this story - only Brinker's dad and Leper's mother are introduced fully.

Part 1: Describe Brinker's father.

Part 2: Describe Leper's mother.

Part 3: What do these characters seem to say about the differences between the older and the younger generations?

(see the answer keys)

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