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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 Levi's wife?

2. Detective Hunt orders an immediate, full-scale search of access roads and trail heads in the hopes of finding what belonging to Wilson?

3. With whom does Johnny stay after his release from the hospital?

4. What is the name of the man who died on the riverbank?

5. Why are police dogs brought into Levi's house?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does Katherine dispose of her Vicodin and other medications?

2. Why is Levi the chief suspect in the deaths of his wife and her lover and why does the chief not believe that Levi's little daughter is missing?

3. Describe Johnny's transformation into an Indian chief.

4. What is Levi doing when Johnny and Jack come upon him in the woods?

5. Into whose care is Johnny released when he leaves the hospital? What does Johnny find in this character’s vehicle?

6. Where does Hunt find Johnny after a call from Louisa Sparrow? What are Johnny's plans for the day?

7. What are some of the traumatic events that have occurred that make Johnny Merrimon a troubled boy?

8. What happens when Johnny awakens from a nap under a bridge?

9. What is Levi's probation officer's opinion of whether or not Levi could be a murderer?

10. Why does Johnny refuse to pray with his mother when she asks?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Describe the overall setting for the book. Why does Hart use the setting he does? What is the time period of the story? How important is the time period to the attitudes and issues of the characters?

Essay Topic 2

The Last Child is a classic mystery story. What does that classification entail? Why does this book fit into this category? Explain.

Essay Topic 3

Hart uses more than one instance of irony in the book. Cite at least two examples you can identify in the story and discuss the purpose of this example and what type of irony is employed. Is it dramatic irony, situational irony, or verbal irony? Does it serve to bring suspense to the story, or does it serve to bring humor?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 875 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample