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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. To where does Melinda catch the bus in "Third Marking Period"?

2. What does Melinda think about her parents' life if she were not in the picture?

3. Who does Melinda wish had attended Merryweather?

4. How do the girls of the International Club feel about Andy?

5. Who does Melinda worry about concerning Andy?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why is Melinda worried about Rachel in "Fourth Marking Period", and what does she try to do to alleviate the worry?

2. What is Melinda's response to Heather's talk in "Third Marking Period"?

3. Who invites Melinda to his home in "Third Marking Period", and what is her response?

4. What does Melinda notice about IT in April?

5. What does the physical education teacher discover about Melindal and what is the result?

6. How does it seem the girls in the International Club are reacting to Andy?

7. What does Heather tell Melinda in "Third Marking Period" that upsets Melinda?

8. Describe the incident in art class when Mr. Freeman's honesty hurts Melinda.

9. How does the book Mr. Freeman gives Melinda help her?

10. What does Mr. Freeman believe is Melinda's problem in art class, and what does he do about it?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the following:

1. Compare/contrast Melinda's experience in ninth grade with your own experience your first year of high school (or middle school). In what ways are the experiences alike? Different?

2. Discuss how you would have handled things were you in Melinda's situation. Do you think she handles her isolation better or worse than (or about the same) as you? Would you have confided in your mom and/or dad? How about another adult? Why or why not?

3. Can schools do more to address such issues as arise in Speak? Why or why not? What could they do? Did your school do a better job at addressing the kind of issues that are illustrated in Speak?

Essay Topic 2

Oftentimes, a book has more of a character-driven plot rather than action driven, and oftentimes the other way. 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 Speak is? Explain your response.

Essay Topic 3

Speak could be said to be a "bildungsroman" of Melinda Sordina, the narrator. Discuss the following:

1. Define the concepts "bildungsroman" and "coming of age."

2. Thoroughly trace and analyze Speak as a bildungsroman of Melinda Sordino. Give specific examples. What does Melinda learn? How has she changed? Is the change for the better?

3. Why do you think many novels/stories written for teens are "coming of age" stories? Do you think it is good for teens to read this genre? Why or why not?

(see the answer keys)

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