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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. In the opening of "The Moon," Boris and Val drink Lucozade. What kind of beverage is this?

2. Besides his head injury, what is the other cause of Bat's constant headaches?

3. What causes Bat to feel so nauseous that he rushes to the bathroom, thinking he will throw up?

4. What technique is used in Teddy's description of a pool ball spinning "confusedly on its own axis" (31)?

5. In Teddy's opinion, how has constant attention affected Sarah's personality?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe the main character of "Stand Your Skin."

2. What is the setting of "The Clancy Kid"?

3. Who is Martina's college boyfriend, and why is she thinking about ending the relationship?

4. Describe Bat's relationship with his mother in "Stand Your Skin."

5. Who is Nubbin Tansey, and what trouble does he cause at Quillinan's Pub?

6. Describe the narrator of "Bait."

7. What in Tug's interaction with the children at the bridge demonstrates the softer side of his nature?

8. How did Matteen and Sarah first get together, and how did their relationship end?

9. Who is "Father Time"?

10. What happens on the club's balcony, and what does it suggest about Val?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

In "The Moon," Martina seems scornful toward the town where she was raised and the people who have chosen to remain there. This sentiment is expressed by "leavers" and outsiders in several stories in Young Skins. Do the stories offer any counterclaims from the perspectives of the small-town inhabitants, or do the stories leave this perspective unchallenged? Write an essay that makes and defends a claim about what the stories seem to be saying about the value of staying in an environment like Glanbeigh. Use evidence from "The Moon" and at least two other stories to support your ideas.

Essay Topic 2

Loyalty to and support of family is an important cultural value in rural Ireland. But in Young Skins, not all "family" is biological. Write an essay that compares and contrasts the "found families" and the "biological families" in the anthology and makes a claim about the thematic significance of the similarities and differences between them. Use evidence from throughout the anthology to defend your ideas.

Essay Topic 3

Write an essay that makes and defends a claim about the significance of Dukic's character in "Kindly Forget My Existence." Think carefully about where he is, what he does, what he says, and how he looks as you consider what he might represent or how his character functions relative to the story's main characters. Use textual evidence to support your ideas.

(see the answer keys)

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