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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 Fiona tell Will in Chapter 17?

2. How does Marcus react when he sees Ellie at Suzie's New Year's Eve party?

3. Where does Ellie offer to go with Marcus in Chapter 31?

4. What does Ellie do to the bully who steals from Marcus?

5. What does Marcus tell Will about when he gets to his apartment in Chapter 20?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Fiona react when she finds out about Marcus' visits to Will's house?

2. What do Will and Fiona discuss over a drink in Chapter 18?

3. What does the reader learn about Ellie's mother in Chapter 25?

4. What do Will and Fiona discuss in Chapter 32?

5. How do Ellie and Zoe react in Chapter 21 when Marcus tells them that he knows Ellie was lying to him before?

6. Describe the Christmas dinner in Chapter 22.

7. Why does Marcus run out of the house in Chapter 26?

8. Who argues in Chapter 23?

9. What makes Will unhappy enough to skip Christmas in Chapter 18?

10. What shocks Marcus' classmates in Chapter 21?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the use of humor in the novel "About a Boy". What are some examples of humor used in the novel? What types of humor does Hornby use? Why might he use humor?

Essay Topic 2

Marcus struggles with bullying throughout the novel. Why might he be an easy target for bullies? What does Marcus do to try and avoid the bullies? Who does he blame for the bullying? What do the authority figures in his life do to help him?

Essay Topic 3

Analyze the character Will. Who is Will and what are his defining character traits? How does he influence the life of the other protagonist, Marcus? Is he a good friend? How does he grow as a character by the end of the novel?

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