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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 did Cecil get his middle name of Speedo?

2. What occurs that leads to Ryan's placement in the juvenile detention center in Chapter 6?

3. What book does Ryan especially enjoy from his elementary school years?

4. Why does Valerie quit the Air Force?

5. Who do Ryan and Adrian stay with when Valerie goes back to Korea?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is the main reason Ryan has asked people to call him "Speedo" at different points in his life?

2. How do Ryan and Adrian remember their mother Valerie's relationship with Barry?

3. In Chapter 7, what is Ryan worried is contributing to his difficulties with Italian pronunciation?

4. What was one of the most damaging and memorable punishments Ryan remembers from the DeJarnette Center?

5. In Chapter 1, why is Banquo's aria from Verdi's opera Macbeth a meaningful audition piece for Ryan?

6. Why does Valerie get so angry at Cecil when she flies home to her apartment after being stationed in Korea?

7. In Chapter 5, what is the conductor, Patrick Summers, worried there might be too much of an emphasis on in opera these days?

8. Why does Ryan like Arnold Schwarzenegger so much?

9. What is the incident that leads to Ryan's time in the juvenile detention center when he is 12 years old?

10. Who is the juvenile detention center that Ryan is placed in in Chapter 7 named after?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Although Ryan befriends his fellow singer and competitor Philippe during the Met's contest, he becomes more and more aware of the gulf in the backgrounds and confidence. Write an essay comparing and contrasting Ryan's and Philippe's experiences and how their backgrounds seem to affect each singer's attitudes towards the Met's competition.

Essay Topic 2

Write an essay analyzing how Ryan's approach to music and his emotional connection to certain pieces seems to have changed following his father Cecil's sudden death, citing specific references to the text to support your answer.

Essay Topic 3

After he leaves the DeJarnette Center, Ryan joins the Latin club, befriends a while classmate named Jared Poulter, and generally tries to integrate himself into the white mainstream of his school. Write an essay analyzing why he takes these actions and what he hopes to gain from his actions.

(see the answer keys)

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