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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. What brand of cigarettes does Vernon smoke for the last night?

2. What was the profession of Taylor's ex-boyfriend?

3. What is the name of Vernon's new attorney?

4. What city does Vernon say the wire is coming from?

5. Where does Vernon's mother go when Vernon leaves the house?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe the execution.

2. What does Vernon's mom tell him on the phone in Chapter 25?

3. Why does International Bridge look like a Spielberg set?

4. What does Vernon find when he arrives back at school moments after the shooting?

5. What does Vernon tell Taylor on the phone?

6. Describe Vernon's phone call with Taylor?

7. How does Taylor force Vernon to confess?

8. Why does Vernon think the village looks like something out of NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC?

9. What does Vernon do in the San Antonio bus station?

10. What does Vernon receive on his execution day?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

What does Vernon's lawyer say in his defense? What case does the prosecution have against Vernon? In what way does the court case satirize American culture?

Essay Topic 2

Choose one of the following and discuss how it affects the tone of the book and helps to express character and theme:

1. Setting

2. Point of view

3. Structure

4. Language

Essay Topic 3

Discuss elements of the narrative structure: exposition, conflict, complication, climax, resolution and conclusion. Do all the elements make for a logical and linear story? How does the story's structure express the book's themes?

(see the answer keys)

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