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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 Mr. Freeman bring Melinda after he comments on her work in "Fourth Marking Period"?

2. What is Melinda's reward for the thing she does for a whole week?

3. Where does David invite Melinda in "Third Marking Period"?

4. Who is Andy Evans?

5. On what does Melinda's father blame her behavioral changes?

Short Essay Questions

1. What touches Melinda emotionally on Christmas Day and what happens?

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

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

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

5. How does the extra credit project end Melinda up at the principal's office?

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

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

8. How does Melinda's focused work on an extra credit project backfire?

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

10. What is Mr. Freeman doing during art class in "Second Marking Period"?

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

Choose one of the following to discuss:

1. Choose two significant symbols and trace and analyze their appearance in Speak. Are these universal symbols? Would they be understood in any culture? Are there other symbols that would portray the same idea? What are they? Why do you think Anderson chooses the symbols she does? Do you think Anderson consciously decides upon the symbols to represent various elements of Speak? Why or why not?

2. Choose two important metaphors and trace and analyze their appearance in Speak. Are these universal metaphors? Would they be understood in any culture? Are there other metaphors that would portray the same idea? What are they? Why do you think Anderson chooses the metaphors she does?

3. Discuss Anderson's use (or lack) of literary device (such as foreshadowing, clifthangers, deux ex machina, etc...), and how they add or detract from the story. Does Anderson use too many or too little literary techniques? State to which of the five major elements of fiction the literary device is related (style, character, plot, setting, theme).

Essay Topic 3

Speak has sometimes been subjected to censorship because of its subject matter and the intended audience. Discuss the following:

1. Do you think a ninth-grade student in the "real" world is too young to read about rape and its aftermath?

2. Do you think many girls who are Melinda's age are raped?

3. Would reading a book such as Speak help a girl who has been raped? In what ways do you think it would help a victim of rape, especially one who is Melinda's age?

4. Do you think reading Speak could be harmful emotionally to students in high school and/or middle school?

(see the answer keys)

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