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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 happens to one of the dealers at the lot in the chapter “Virgil”?

2. How does Virgil know his mother’s father does not have a plot?

3. Where is Amir from?

4. What does Amir grow?

5. What does Curtis hire Royce to do?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe Sam’s contest, and the winning idea.

2. How does Amir compare the U.S. to India?

3. Describe what happened to make Sae Young afraid of the world.

4. What is Mr. Myles’ reaction to the garden?

5. What causes Sae Young to feel a part of the community again?

6. How does Leona help Maricela see things differently?

7. What is Nora’s relationship with Mr. Myles?

8. Explain Sae Young’s life prior to her “accident”?

9. Describe Curtis, as he is now, in terms of his priorities.

10. Explain why Curtis and Lateesha originally broke up.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Several times in the novel, the characters mention that the community garden gives them hope. Wendell, in particular, notes that he can’t change his life, but he can use the garden to change his circumstances. Sae Young, too, uses the garden to enhance her existence, as does Nora, and other characters. Choose three characters, and explain how the garden has given them hope, or changed their lives.

Essay Topic 2

A primary theme in the novel is the ability of human kind to change their circumstances, if they choose. In the book, several characters change not only their own lives, but the lives of others through their actions. Choose two characters, and explain how their presence in the garden, and their actions, have helped change the lives of others. What does this say about the power of human kind, if they work together? Why is this important?

Essay Topic 3

How does the author use the characters to intertwine with one another? Going back through the novel, can you see links in each story to other characters? Give at least four examples of this. Why do you think the character added some of these connected details?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 778 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample