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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 is Cal afraid of after Conrad gets his present?

2. At school, what is Conrad overwhelmed by?

3. Where does Beth want to go for Christmas?

4. What instrument does Cal play?

5. What word best describes the meeting between Conrad and Karen?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does Cal want to see Dr. Berger in chapter 17?

2. Describe Conrad's run-in with Joe Lazenby after Conrad has quit the swim team.

3. What does Conrad's dream of being confined in a tunnel represent?

4. Why doesn't Conrad first reveal that he had a brother to Dr. Berger?

5. Describe Beth's attitude toward Cal and Conrad in chapter 6.

6. What does Conrad use as an excuse to quit the swim team?

7. Describe the new goals that Conrad sets for himself.

8. In chapter 6, what do Cal and Beth fight about?

9. When Beth and Cal attend a dinner party in chapter 8, what does Beth get angry about?

10. Describe Conrad's first appointment with Dr. Berger.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Cal and Conrad grow progressively closer throughout the novel. What are the steps in the development of their relationship? What is their relationship like at the end of the novel and why?

Essay Topic 2

Who is the protagonist of the novel? Who is the antagonist? How do both the protagonist and antagonist of "Ordinary People" contribute to the novel's conflict?

Essay Topic 3

Which items in the novel are symbols? Consider Jordan's death, the mental hospital, Conrad's bumper stickers, and the swim team in your analysis.

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