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. To what floor does Leon take Cal in the beginning of Chapter 11?

2. Who is the astronaut being interviewed on the episode of Shooting Stars that appears in Chapter 2?

3. Where is Deb working in Chapter 3?

4. What does Cal refer to as his porkpie hat with a wide brim in Chapter 10?

5. For what commercial airline has Cal's father been working as a pilot?

Short Essay Questions

1. Who is Jeremy and what role does he play in the novel?

2. What was the Challenger and why is it referenced in the novel?

3. What are Cal's first impressions of Leon?

4. Why does Cal become upset over a message in Chapter 8?

5. Why is Cal at a community garden in Chapter 8?

6. Who is Mark Bannon in the novel?

7. How does Cal describe the way he is perceived by others in the opening of the novel?

8. Who does Cal interview at NASA in Chapter 12? Why does this become important?

9. Describe Cal's dad. What has his career been like until the opening of the novel? How does it change?

10. How is the show Shooting Stars presented in the novel? What purpose do these excerpts serve?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the author's allusions to mythology in The Gravity of Us. What are some examples of Greek mythology that appear in the text? What do they reference, and how do these allusions relate to the plot and themes of the novel? How do they relate to the novel's characters?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the themes of fame and celebrity in The Gravity of Us. How are these themes developed through character? How are they connected to symbolism in the novel? What statements do you think the author is making regarding fame and celebrity?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the family relationships in The Gravity of Us. How does Cal perceive his parents and their relationship in the beginning of the novel? How do those perceptions change? How does Leon feel about his family?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 887 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample