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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 reason does Bec cite when telling Riley that her father travels a lot?

2. How does Riley describe the feeling of being "confined to the same identity day after day" (2) regardless of how they feel inside?

3. Riley explains that they view gender not as a switch, but as a what?

4. What time does Riley tell Bec they are required to be home on weeknights?

5. For Riley's first lunch at Park Hills High School, plan B is to join the pierced and tattooed students at their table. What is plan A?

Short Essay Questions

1. Discuss the author's use of hyperbole to characterize Riley's voice.

2. What action does Riley describe as being "like a suicide ritual" (64)?

3. What clothing does Riley choose for the first day of public high school, and what is Riley hoping to accomplish with this choice?

4. What does Riley call their one formal outfit and why?

5. What does Doctor Ann say about the act of "wondering if it's okay to be who you are" (110) and how do her comments relate to the novel's title?

6. With what question does Riley begin their very first blog post on page one of the novel?

7. Why does Riley take the Starburst offered by Solo, even though they do not want it?

8. What does Riley mean with the words, "At least I can tell Doctor Ann I tried"? (1)

9. What is the symbolism of Riley's choice of avatar when starting a blog?

10. How does it make Riley feel when the blog attracts more than 500 followers?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

How is the topic of individualism treated within the novel and how does its treatment relate to the book's repeated allusions to punk rock music?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss how the themes of truth, lies, and hypocrisy are interwoven within the novel’s narrative.

Essay Topic 3

Sensory details are used frequently by the author in order to create vivid pictures of Riley's everyday experiences as a gender fluid teen. Choose three scenes in which sensory details are heavily used and discuss how the sensory details used by the author set a particular mood for each of the three scenes.

(see the answer keys)

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