View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What does John appreciate about Vicky?

2. What has Adam asked of John?

3. What does Vicky's father bring to the house the next day for Grandfather?

4. What does Zachary confess to Vicky?

5. What is Ynid about to do?

Short Essay Questions

1. About what does John wonder when he spies Zachary and how does Vicky react to John's statement?

2. What does Vicky learn about how Zachary's mother died?

3. What does Vicky do with Adam for which she feels badly?

4. What happens when Vicky and Leo go to the emergency room to donate blood for Grandfather?

5. What is the concern about the swallows and how do Vicky and her siblings solve the problem?

6. What does Vicky tell Leo about her grandfather?

7. What does Zachary's family do with his mother's body, and how does Vicky feel about what she hears?

8. To what is Vicky drawn in Adam?

9. Whose funeral is Vicky attending, and what happened to the man?

10. What does Vicky say about her relationships to Leo and Zachary when John inquires?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Many novels, and perhaps a majority, of novels ends on a happy note. Discuss the following:

1. Why do you think many (most?) people want what they perceive as a happy or good ending to a novel? Explain your opinion. Do you? Why or why not?

2. What are three reasons to read fiction? Discuss each one in light of "A Ring of Endless Light" and whether or not it fulfills all three, two or one of the reasons you mention. Give examples as to why this story is or is not successful in fulfilling the reasons you discuss.

3. Do you think reading solely for entertainment is as good a reason to read as any other? Why or why not? Can any work of fiction or non-fiction, no matter how poorly written, enlighten, teach, stimulate thought? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 2

"A Ring of Endless Light" 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 mystery?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the following:

1. What is a plot? What are the most important elements of a plot and their definition? Do all novels have a plot? Why or why not?

2. Write a brief synopsis of the plot of "A Ring of Endless Light", identifying where the various elements of the plot occur (Exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, resolution or denouement). Do you find it difficult to identify the plot? Why or why not? What about the various elements of the plot?

3. Identify the major sub-plots and their elements in "A Ring of Endless Light". (The subplots may not contain every element of a major plot.) Do the sub-plots add to the main plot? Why or why not. Are the sub-plots interesting in and of themselves? Why or why not?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,025 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample