View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. How does the narrator of "Josh Bell" describe his hair in the poem?

2. What is the name of the girl that Josh talks to on the phone in "Phone Conversation (I Sub for JB)"?

3. What does Josh discover JB doing at the library in "Third Wheel"?

4. The narrator of "Josh Bell" says that he is the next "Kevin Durant, LeBron" and who?

5. What stylistic literary device is evident in the following phrase from "Showoff"? "... a sick slick sliding sweet seven-foot shot."

Short Essay Questions

1. What differences does Josh describe between him and his brother in "JB and I"?

2. How are the careers of Josh's parents described in the narrative?

3. What metaphors are seen in "Basketball Rule #1"?

4. Why does Josh pretend to be JB on the phone when Alexis first calls? What do Josh and Alexis talk about?

5. What does Crystal explain to Josh in "Mom Calls Me into the Kitchen"?

6. How does Josh describe his brother in "Jordan Bell"?

7. What is the meaning of the title to the poem "Second-Person"?

8. How is the "character" of Filthy McNasty described in the poem by the same name?

9. How does Josh define "Tipping Point" in the poem with the same name?

10. How does Josh describe JB's behavior in the first poem titled "Conversation" from "Second Quarter"?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

What health problem does Chuck suffer from? How is this condition highlighted in the narrative? What are the causes of Chuck's health condition? What is the outcome?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the style of the poems in The Crossover. Does the author employ rhyme and meter throughout the poems? What are examples of similes, metaphors, and other literary devices employed in the poems?

Essay Topic 3

How does Josh's use of language reflect upon his character? How does Josh's use of language stand apart from the other characters in The Crossover? How is dialogue conveyed in this verse novel?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 764 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample