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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 fascinates the narrator about what Miles is watching on television the last time he goes to watch him through the windows?

2. In Chapter 35, who was babysitting Jonah throughout Miles' whole ordeal with Brian?

3. In Chapter 35, what question tortures Miles most about Brian's confession?

4. What does Sarah say about Sims' and Earl's testimony concerning Otis' supposed confession?

5. What does the narrator say Missy was wearing on the day he hit her?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Sarah react to the revelation that Brian killed Missy Ryan?

2. Why does Sims Addison claim in Chapter 17 that he never wants to return to jail?

3. In Chapter 27, whom does Sarah turn to for advice about Miles? What is Sarah most concerned about in regards to Miles?

4. Despite a reluctance to return to jail, what is Sims Addison doing in Chapter 17 when Miles pulls him over?

5. In Chapter 16, what does the unnamed narrator say he did when he saw Missy up ahead of him on the road?

6. In Chapter 26, what does Charlie do when Miles reports for work first thing in the morning?

7. In Chapter 24, what is Miles doing when Jonah comes home from school? What does he tell Sarah when she later comes to the house?

8. What threats against Miles does the district attorney and the Timson family attorney make to Charlie?

9. What does Charlie imply he knows about Brian Andrews? How does Miles respond?

10. Why does the unnamed narrator begin to spy on Jonah and Miles? What does he hope to see?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Who is Otis Timson? Why is Miles upset to learn that Otis will be released from jail that day? What does Miles think Otis has done? What has Otis done in the past that upsets Miles? Why does Miles think Otis is a criminal when Otis has never really been convicted of any serious crimes? How does Charlie feel about Otis? Does this give credence to Miles' thoughts or does it make Miles appear as to have a vendetta for Otis? How might this discussion about Otis foreshadow a later conflict between Miles and Otis?

Essay Topic 2

Why does Sarah invite Miles and Jonah to have Thanksgiving with her family? What do Sarah's parents think of Miles and Jonah? What is Sarah's relationship like with Brian, her brother? How does Brian react to meeting Miles and Jonah? What explanation does the reader infer from this reaction? Later, what makes Miles think he might like to marry Sarah someday? How does this realization make Miles feel about Missy? What impact might this have on Jonah? Is Sarah aware of the depth of Miles' feelings? How does the reader know this?

Essay Topic 3

Why does Miles arrest Otis Timson? Should Miles have arrested Otis on charges of killing Missy? Should Miles have handled the situation differently? Why did Miles hold a gun to Otis' head? What charges could Miles face for doing such a thing? Was Miles acting inappropriately? What does it say about Miles that he did not kill Otis when given the chance? Why did Miles not tell Charlie immediately what was going on? What might have happened differently if Miles had gone to Charlie first?

(see the answer keys)

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