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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. Where is Jordy's race held in "You're the Nearest Thing to Heaven That I've Seen"?

2. Which image makes Craig laugh in "Why Do Stars Falls Down from the Sky"?

3. In exchange for accepting Naomi's offer of a lawyer, what does Craig ask for?

4. What is the shadow underneath Jordy in "You're the Nearest Thing to Heaven That I've Seen"?

5. When Naomi says: "all bets are off" (171), that is an example of what literary device?

Short Essay Questions

1. What advice does the older swimmer give Jordy when he asks for advice?

2. Why did Naomi visit Craig in New York and what do they do together?

3. In "You're the Nearest Thing to Heaven that I've Seen" what does Craig suggest to Marielle about his living conditions? What are Craig's motivations for moving?

4. What has Marielle done since her funeral?

5. What is Jordan's hidden scheme that he reveals during their last trip to Big Sur?

6. What does Jordy do for their anniversary? What steps does he take to make it extra special in "Why Do Stars Fall Down From the Sky"?

7. What activity does Jordan assist Marielle with in "You're the Nearest Thing to Heaven that I've Seen"?

8. How does Jordan feel about Jordy's skydiving instructor?

9. What does Craig admit about Jordy during his funeral to lighten the mood; how did he arrive at this opinion?

10. What does Jordan Tosic ask of people in his obituary?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Selecting any of the sections titled "The Jordans," write an essay discussing why Rowley uses a different tone and mood when discussing Jordan's diagnosis. What is the literary effect of this? What is Rowley trying to suggest with this juxtaposition?

Essay Topic 2

Write an essay explaining how Rowley's use of juxtaposition makes moments of sadness more powerful. Rowley often cuts moments of joy with moments of sadness - what is the literary effect of this? How does this pairing make the sad seem more devastating? Make sure to use one to two specific examples from the text.

Essay Topic 3

Write an essay discussing whether you believe Craig deserved pathos in regard to his conviction. Craig's crime is treated as a mishap, and the narrator treats him rather kindly. Argue whether Craig deserved this treatment or should have been given a harder time. Make sure to reference direct examples from the text and provide quotations containing pathos.

(see the answer keys)

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