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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. Why does Levi stop at a Chinese restaurant?

2. What does Christina tell Levi about her breakup with Boaz?

3. Who screams at Boaz when they shot the tires of a van in the war zone?

4. What does Levi realize when he sees his mother crying at the school sign?

5. What does Levi tell Pearl it is time to do?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does Levi shave his head?

2. What enrages Levi so much that he goes up and pounds on Boaz's bedroom door and what happens?

3. What happens when a Toyota truck goes speeding by Boaz and Levi as they are walking?

4. What does Levi calculate and decide to do?

5. Who do Pearl and Levi go to see in Poughkeepsie and how does Levi know they are at the right place?

6. Where does Levi go when he splits off from Jack and Boaz and who does he meet?

7. What do Levi and Boaz find at their stop in Riverside, New Jersey?

8. Why have Zim and Pearl shown up at the motel room in Philadelphia?

9. Where do Boaz and Levi first go when they arrive in the Washington, D.C. area and who do they visit?

10. How does Loren respond to Levi saying he just wants Boaz to come home?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss one of the following:

1. Thoroughly analyze how the setting informs the plot in The Things a Brother Knows.

2. Trace and analyze one major theme of The Things a Brother Knows. How is the theme represented by symbolism? By the characters' behaviors? By the action?

3. Trace and analyze two secondary themes of The Things a Brother Knows. How are the themes represented by symbolism? By the characters' behaviors? By the action?

Essay Topic 2

Oftentimes, a book has more of a character-driven plot rather than action driven or vise versa. Some books seem to balance the two. Discuss the following:

1. What do you think it means to say that a plot is character driven? Action driven?

2. How do you think a plot differs if it is character driven versus action driven?

3. Which type of plot do you find more interesting? Why?

4. Do you think it is possible to have a plot where action and character development share equal time? Why or why not?

5. What type of plot do you think The Things a Brother Knows is? Explain your response.

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the following:

1. What is a plot? What are the most important elements of a plot and their definition? Do all novels have a plot? Why or why not?

2. Write a brief synopsis of the plot of The Things a Brother Knows, identifying where the various elements of the plot occur (exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, resolution or denouement). Do you find it difficult to identify the plot? Why or why not? What about the various elements of the plot?

3. Identify the major sub-plots and their elements in The Things a Brother Knows. (The subplots may not contain every element of a major plot.) Do the sub-plots add to the main plot? Why or why not? Are the sub-plots interesting in and of themselves? Why or why not?

(see the answer keys)

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