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

Short Answer Questions

1. What does Steve fear while watching the movie?

2. In what does Steve believe?

3. What does Motorcycle Boy take to the river?

4. When he comes in after he and Motorcycle Boy get home from the pet store, what does Rusty-James ask his father?

5. In Chapter 7, whom does Steve worry Rusty-James will become?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Explain how the author's word choices for Rusty-James' dialogue provide authenticity to the novel. Does it endear Rusty-James' to the reader? What does it reveal about the character, his background, and environment? Find descriptions from the text to support your answer and to provide evidence for your opinion.

Essay Topic 2

At the onset of the flashback, gang violence has been all but stopped due to Motorcycle Boy. Rusty-James hangs on to the "rules" and becomes furious when the rules are broken. At the same time, Rusty-James wants to be like Motorcycle Boy. Explain how Rusty-James' actions contradict his goal. Find descriptions from the text to support your answer and to provide evidence for your opinion.

Essay Topic 3

How does the author's methods at the beginning of the novel set the tone?

Part 1) How does Steve's arrival promote the tone of the novel at the beginning?

Part 2) How does Steve's mentioning Rusty-James' resemblance to someone enhance the tone set forth at the onset of the novel?

Part 3) How does Rusty-James' forgetfulness set up the suspense?

Find descriptions from the text to support your answer and to provide evidence for your opinion.

(see the answer keys)

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