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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. Mr. Schmidt tells the class that since 2001, America has been engaged in a war on what?

2. What candy does Sabeen bring from home and offer to Deja and Ben?

3. What action does Ben take that causes his mother to scold him as Deja is leaving Ben's house?

4. Who is NOT someone Deja names as someone she wishes she could talk to after watching the attacks of 9/11 on video?

5. How many of the terrorists responsible for 9/11 were from Egypt?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is the symbolism of Deja's father's briefcase?

2. What is demonstrated about Deja's character arc when she says, "I feel like I've passed the biggest test. Just by being me" (114)?

3. How does Ben feel about his new home of New York City in relation to his previous home of Arizona?

4. What are Sabeen's experiences with racism and Islamophobia?

5. What is the significance of Deja's realization that "History is alive" (101)?

6. For what reason does Deja keep from her father the fact that she has watched a video of a plane flying into one of the Twin Towers on 9/11?

7. How is Deja's open-minded nature depicted within her visit to Sabeen's house?

8. What are Deja's ideas about what each member of her family needs in order to be happy?

9. What is the significance of Deja leading her father through the streets of New York City?

10. How does Sabeen's father comfort Deja during her visit to their home?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

William Faulkner once famously claimed that the most important literature deals with the subject of the human heart in conflict with itself. Explain how the theme of Human versus Self is demonstrated within Jewell Parker Rhodes's novel Towers Falling. Create a decisive, arguable claim and prove it with quotes from the book.

Essay Topic 2

Trace the characterization arc of Deja's character throughout the novel. Discuss whether she is a round or flat character and whether she is a static or dynamic character.

Essay Topic 3

What is the function of Miss Garcia's character within the novel? Discuss the characterization methods used by the author in depicting Miss Garcia and include in your discussion the reasons that the author portrays this character in these particular ways.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,183 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample