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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 is Erik starting to hang out with?

2. What does one parent tell Mrs. Fisher about his son and practice?

3. How does Paul find out he cannot play soccer?

4. What time does Mrs. Fisher think they will arrive in Tangerine?

5. What does Paul do when conversation about Erik and football starts?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Paul say about how his mother has arranged their move?

2. Why is Paul called into the principal's office the Monday after his trip to the carnival and what does Paul do?

3. What changes in Tangerine does Paul foresee and what does he think about himself and changes?

4. Where does Paul go on his bike and what does he see about their subdivision?

5. What boy Paul's age does Paul meet and what does he see while Paul watches soccer practice?

6. Why is Paul put off the soccer team and what is his reaction when he hears about it?

7. What does Paul's mother do about Mike's death?

8. What does Paul and his mother learn about muck fires, and what happens when a thunderstorm hits?

9. What does Paul's mother think will happen about Mike's death and what actually happens? What does Paul wonder about Joey?

10. What do the parents of the football players decide to do and how does the coach respond to their suggestion?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Paul tells his parents that he doesn't mind if his father doesn't pay any attention to him. This catches his dad's attention and instead of answering Paul's question as to whether Paul can change schools, his father goes back to that statement. He asks Paul what he meant and it seems he might be about to disagree with Paul's assessment that Erik's football takes precedence over everything, but then stops. Paul realizes that he doesn't get the same amount of attention from his father as Erik, and this does seem to bother Paul as it would any child.

1. Do you think Paul really doesn't mind the fact that his father does not pay attention to him? Why or why not? Use examples from the text and your own life to support your answer.

2. Why do you think Paul's father does not pursue Paul's statement about how important Erik's football is as opposed to how important Paul is? Use examples from the text and your own life to support your answer.

3. What kind of messages do you think Paul's father is sending to Paul? Use examples from the text and your own life to support your answer.

Essay Topic 2

Titles often play a vital role in making a person decide to read a particular book. Discuss the following:

1. Fully explain why you think Tangerine is titled as such. Do you think it is the best title for the book? Why or why not? Can you think of a better title? Why would you choose it?

2. How important is a title in influencing you to consider reading a book? Explain your answer.

3. Do you think a title needs to have direct relevance to a book's content? Explain your answer.

4. Have you ever read a book that when you finished, you do not understand the relevance of the title? Does it discourage you from "trusting" that particular author again?

Essay Topic 3

Paul's father asks if Paul made the all county team, and Paul is angered by the question. He turns the tables, asking his dad how many games he'd played in, what position he'd played and pointing out very clearly that his father hadn't been to any games.

1. Why do you think Paul became angry at his father's question? Use examples from the text and your own life to support your answer.

2. Do you think it was right for Paul to point out to his father the obvious lack of interest Mr. Fisher seems to have in Paul's athletic endeavors? Why or why not? Use examples from the text and your own life to support your answer.

3. What do you think are the motivations behind Mr. Fisher's different interactions with his two sons? Use examples from the text and your own life to support your answer.

(see the answer keys)

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