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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. How long do Maniac and Mars Bar run together before the morning Piper comes screaming down the street?

2. What story does Maniac change in telling to the Pickwells?

3. What does Mars Bar challenge Maniac to?

4. When Maniac returned to the West End in Chapter 40, where does he go first?

5. What does Maniac do as a feat with the bison pen?

Short Essay Questions

1. What are the McNabs building in their house and why?

2. How does Mars Bar's rescue of Russell help change the prejudices of the town?

3. How do Maniac and Mars Bar find their way back into each other's lives?

4. Who saves Maniac from freezing to death and how do they go about it?

5. What contradiction does Maniac experience coming from a reunion at the Beales and going to the McNabs?

6. Why does Maniac bring Mars Bar to Piper's birthday party?

7. What kind of a home do the McNabs live in?

8. Why does Maniac take Mars Bar to the Pickwells?

9. How do the McNabs show their true prejudice during Piper's birthday party?

10. What do the worms symbolize?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

What is Maniac truly searching for for himself? How is this search a theme of the novel?

Essay Topic 2

Why doesn't Maniac choose to remain at the Pickwell house? Why does he not choose this loving family as his own when he knows that they would embrace him? What does this say about Maniac's past and his future?

Essay Topic 3

How does the relationship between Maniac and Mars Bar grow? What do each of the boys give to the other that each is lacking? How does this relationship epitomize the good in human nature?

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