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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 Chapter 37, what does Charlie imply he knows about Brian and Miles?

2. In Chapter 23, how long after Missy's death does the narrator say he began watching Miles and Jonah at home?

3. In Chapter 31, what one reason does Sarah remind Miles of to keep him from killing Otis?

4. In Chapter 20, who confronts Miles the moment he returns to the sheriff's office?

5. What detail of the accident does Brian mention that finally gets Miles' attention?

Short Essay Questions

1. 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?

2. What does Miles do during the arrest of Otis Timson that could come back to haunt him later?

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

4. In Chapter 26, when does Miles finally notice that Sarah has gone? Why does he notice?

5. Why does Miles tell Sarah he took the gun out of the gardening shed? Why does Miles say he can no longer see Sarah?

6. In Chapter 20, where does Charlie decide to go in order to try to help Miles out of the mess he has created for himself?

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

8. How does Miles react to Jonah's questions about his mother when he finds Miles watching home videos?

9. In Chapter 29, why does Brian suddenly feel it is important to tell Sarah to make Miles back off of Otis Timson? What does Brian reveal to the reader in this chapter?

10. Why does Miles not file a report on Sims Addison before his shift is over? How does Sims use this to his advantage?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

What happens to Miles when he hears Sims Addison's accusations against Otis Timson? How does Miles react to Charlie's insistence that he stay out of the investigation? Why does Miles go to Sarah with his frustrations? How does Sarah react? What does this tell Miles about Sarah's concern in the situation? What impact will these new accusations have on Miles and Sarah's relationship? Does this imply that Miles is not over Missy? Does this imply that Miles does not love Sarah?

Essay Topic 2

Who is Missy Ryan? How did she die? What does the unnamed narrator say about Missy? Why does the unnamed narrator make it clear that this book is not about Missy? What was Miles and Missy's relationship like? How might their lives had played out if Missy had not been killed? What impact did Missy's death have on her son? What impact did it have on her husband? How did Missy's death impact the small town of New Bern? How do these changes play a role in this novel?

Essay Topic 3

How do Miles and Sarah meet the first time? What are their impressions of one another? How can the reader tell how Miles feels about Sarah? How can the reader see how Sarah feels about Miles? Why does it take so long for Miles to ask Sarah out? What experience does Miles have in this area? How does Sarah react when Miles finally attempts to ask her out? What does this say about Sarah? Why does Miles feel the need to explain what dating means to Jonah? What impact might a new romantic relationship for Miles mean for Jonah? Does Jonah's age impact this any? Explain.

(see the answer keys)

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