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 is Nelly Sivers' nickname at Nancy's school?

2. What brochure is Nancy reading in the hospital on Valentine's Day?

3. What boy gets forced in Nancy's direction in a teasing incident at school?

4. Who cleans Nancy and her mom's house?

5. How does Nancy feel at her new school in Phoenix?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is Doodle Day at Nancy's school?

2. What happens between Dorie and Fred at the end of February?

3. Who is Adam?

4. Why is Nancy "living in Heaven" at the beginning of February?

5. What does Nancy remember about the kids she thinks she saw Collin with?

6. Why does Nancy pretend the gaggle is not real while she is in Phoenix?

7. Why do Nancy and her dad go to Mass at the beginning of September?

8. What did Nancy and her dad do on New Year's Day?

9. Why are holidays sadder than regular days for Nancy?

10. In the middle of February, how does Nancy know she is feeling better?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

An underlying theme throughout the story is the idea of death and finality. When Nancy is diagnosed with HIV/AIDS, she is aware she will die of the disease. As she struggles with the idea that she will die young, other characters in the story must also cope with the finality of death. Write a response focusing on the idea of death and finality as presented in the story. How do the characters cope with this idea? Use specific references to the text in the response.

Essay Topic 2

The theme of denial is an important aspect in It Happened to Nancy. Write a response focusing on the theme of denial as presented in the story. What characters are in denial? Why are they in denial? How do the characters overcome their denial and deal with the situation at hand? Use specific references to the text in the response.

Essay Topic 3

Nancy must face a lot of guilt connected to her rape and subsequent HIV/AIDS diagnosis. She vents some of these feelings of guilt in her diary entries. Write a response focusing on the theme of guilt in the story as it relates to Nancy's feelings. Why does she feel guilty? How does she overcome the guilt? Use specific references to the text in the response.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 658 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample