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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 does Brent resolve as he is studying during his breaks.

2. What does Brent do calm his frustrations?

3. What does Brent buy after leaving the museum?

4. What does Brent study during breaks from building the third whirligig?

5. What is the worst part of Tony's summer vacation?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Grandma know at the beginning of the journey that Jenny does not know? What makes the ride even more poignant with Jenny?

2. What does Brent resolve to do as he reads his star guide book? How is he already accomplishing his goal with the whirligigs?

3. Which whirligig is at Tony's summer campground? How does Tony feel about the whirligig?

4. What does Tony finally write in his journal? What does he do to emphasize the truth in his entry?

5. Why does Brent enjoy returning to the Sand Dollar Cafe?

6. Describe Jenny's feelings towards Grandma.

7. Why does Brent refuse to use the Visa card which his parents have given him for the trip? What does this say about his new sense of responsibility?

8. Emil makes a comment to Brent that his father had told him that teachers live forever through their students. When Brent hears this, what person in his past comes to mind? What do her words mean to Brent at the time she speaks to him? What realization has Emil's sharing brought to Brent?

9. Where does the drive take Jenny and Grandma?

10. How is dinner at the hostel different from Brent's dinner at home with his parents?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Whirligigs affect people of all ages in the book. Select two characters who are from different generations and describe how their individual experience with a whirligig is unique to their age.

Essay Topic 2

The campground setting appears several times in the book. Why is this setting so prevalent? Why is it appropriate for the first and last whirligig to be constructed on a campground?

Essay Topic 3

Explore the statement, "Mr. Mintz is a very wise teacher." Use Mr. Mintz's whirligig analogy for support.

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This section contains 935 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample