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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 Lia watch her father do absentmindedly?

2. What startles Lia back to reality at the graveside?

3. How does Emma break her arm?

4. Why is Lia knitting a blanket?

5. What does Lia overhear Jennifer say about Chloe?

Short Essay Questions

1. What happens as a result of Lia eating the cupcakes?

2. Who does Lia encounter at Cassie's burial and how does that let Elijah learn Lia's real name?

3. What does Lia remember when she passes Cassie's house on her way to her mother's home?

4. What does Lia do that causes Emma to become hysterical?

5. What happens when Lia goes to get pain medication for Emma?

6. Where does Lia find her mother and what is her mother doing?

7. Describe the damage to Cassie's body as a result of her eating disorder.

8. What does Lia overhear her father and Jennifer discuss and how does she handle it?

9. How does Lia act at Cassie's grave?

10. When is Lia allowed to go home and what does she feel is humorous about the situation?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Even at the support group meeting at school, Lia cannot process what has happened to her friend. Even though Cassie was her best friend, Lia has no suggestions for ways in which Cassie could be remembered. When she looks around at her fellow classmates, Lia doesn't understand how they get up each day, eat their food, go to their classes. To Lia, going to school is like going to the cafeteria. Teachers inject them with information. Parents divide the day into "healthy ingredients" like sports, community service, art. In school, teachers control your day and grade you on your performance. Lia's metaphor for school is related back to food because this is how she exercises her own control. She hates school for the same reasons that she hates eating: it takes away the fierce control she has over every single aspect of her life. Because she is too busy controlling her own actions, Lia doesn't care about the actions of others, even when those actions relate to her best friend's memorial. Lia simply doesn't have enough energy.

1. Discuss the ways in which Lia thinks she is different from all the other students at school. Use examples from your own life and "Wintergirls" to support your reasoning.

2. Discuss events and situations which are beyond a teenager's control and why they might be that way. Use examples from your own life and "Wintergirls" to support your reasoning.

3. If Lia wanted to exercise control in her life in a healthy manner, what do you think are some of the ways she could do that? Use examples from your own life and "Wintergirls" to support your reasoning.

Essay Topic 2

Titles often play a vital role in making a person decide to read a particular book. Discuss the following:

1. Fully explain why you think "Wintergirls" is titled as such. Do you think it is the best title for the book? Why or why not? Can you think of a better title? Why would you choose it?

2. How important is a title in influencing you to consider reading a book? Explain your answer.

3. Do you think a title needs to have direct relevance to a book's content? Explain your answer.

4. Have you ever read a book that when you finished, you do not understand the relevance of the title? Does it discourage you from "trusting" that particular author again?

Essay Topic 3

"Wintergirls" belongs to the young adult novel genre. Discuss the following:

1. Define the literary term "genre" and give several examples of three other genres in addition to the young adult novel genre.

2. Discuss two reasons why it might be useful to label a text by genre and two reasons it might be disadvantageous to label a text by genre.

3. What do you think is the difference between a young adult novel and a historical novel?

(see the answer keys)

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