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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 Jamie think Earl is glad to be around Patty?

2. How does the author describe the atmosphere immediately after Patty catches Nin?

3. What do lesser magicians rely on?

4. What do Jamie and his mother eat at the carnival?

5. What is the only reason Nin isn't badly hurt?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe the trailer and its area?

2. What are the living arrangements in the trailer?

3. How does Jamie persuade Patty to take him to the carnival?

4. What do Patty and Jamie talk about when Earl goes to work?

5. What does Jamie see at the beginning of the story?

6. In what way is Earl the perfect person for Patty to have gone to for help?

7. Why is Jamie happy that Nin will be sleeping in the bureau drawer?

8. How does Patty calm Jamie down at the beginning of the chapter?

9. Why does Jamie think it is okay if he doesn't go to school?

10. How does Jamie make Patty angry in this section?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Why does Jamie seems to prefer to live in the trailer than to live in Earl's house? Why is Patty so insistent about living in the trailer? Does Earl give in too easily to her demands? What does Earl mean when he says they will be sitting ducks?

Essay Topic 2

Look at the structure of the book.

How does the author use character and dialogue to drive the narrative?

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?

Essay Topic 3

Compare Jamie's character to the person he was at the beginning of the book to the he is at the end.

1. What did Jamie hope to achieve at the beginning of the book?

2. What events changes Jamie's ideas about life?

3. How has Jamie's character changed by the end of the book?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 876 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample