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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. Who comes and interrupts Grace talking to Sam?

2. What does Grace hear after John and Olivia leave her house?

3. Why does Grace hate summers?

4. What does Grace invite Sam to do?

5. What does Sam say makes him change into a wolf?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Sam relate about a time Grace comes in the bookstore with her two friends, Olivia and Rachel?

2. What happens that same night of her father's announcement when Grace is in her bedroom?

3. How does Grace describe wolves attacking her?

4. What confuses Sam about Grace having been bitten by a werewolf?

5. What does Grace realize about the wolves in the area, and why does she realize it?

6. What does Officer Koenig say about Jack Culpepper in Grace's life skills class?

7. What does Olivia show Grace when Grace is at the other girl's house, and how does Grace respond?

8. What happens one day when Grace thinks she hears Jack Culpepper screaming for help?

9. What does Grace say about a spot in the woods where she and Sam pass through, and how does Sam explain it?

10. Why does Sam go to the Culpepper house and what does he notice there?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Often, authors will write about "what they know," and sometimes knowing a little about the author makes the books more interesting. Discuss the following:

1. Research and give a brief biographical sketch of Maggie Stiefvater.

2. What in Stiefvater's background may have helped him in writing "Shiver"? What may have influenced the way he depicts various characters and scenes?

3. Do you think there is always some of the author's own life in his/her novels? Why or why not? Give examples.

Essay Topic 2

Sometimes a book has more of a character-driven plot rather than action driven, and sometimes it is the other way around. Some books seem to balance the two. Discuss the following:

1. What do you think it means to say that a plot is character driven? Action driven?

2. How do you think a plot differs if it is character driven versus action driven?

3. Which type of plot do you find more interesting? Why?

4. Do you think it is possible to have a plot where action and character development share equal time? Why or why not.

5. What type of plot do you think "Shiver" is? Explain your response.

Essay Topic 3

Characters are an integral and important part of almost all novels. Discuss the following:

1. Compare/contrast the characters of Grace and Olivia. How are they similar? How are they different? Is there a flaw in each of their personalities? Be specific and give examples.

2. Compare/contrast the characters of Sam and Beck. How do they seem different? Which do you like more? Why? Which one seems more of a well-rounded character?

3. Thoroughly analyze how three of the secondary characters in "Shiver" help drive the plot and what their contribution is to the storyline. Are any of the secondary characters unnecessary? Indispensable? Which of the secondary characters are likable? Which are either unlikable or even despicable? Be specific and give examples.

(see the answer keys)

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