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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 does Sae Young grow?

2. What happened to cause Sae Young to be afraid?

3. What happens to the radishes?

4. What is Maricela told will help her in tea?

5. What does Royce do in exchange for food?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Virgil find in the ground, and what does he eventually use it for?

2. What does Amir learn about his misconceptions of cultures?

3. Explain what Curtis does to thwart off the thieves.

4. What is Curtis’ reaction to his tomato plants?

5. Explain why Virgil becomes angry and ashamed at his father.

6. What brings Sae Young back out into the world, and why?

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

8. Why does everyone in the garden want to help the girls in the chapter “Maricela”?

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

10. What is Curtis trying to show through the growth of the tomatoes?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Briefly go through each of the characters in the novel, and explain how the garden helped to improve their lives, circumstances, or outlook on life. Be sure to include details of each story to show an understanding of how the garden affected the characters.

Essay Topic 2

Kim and Curtis both use the garden to prove something. Discuss these characters in detail, and explain what the garden is helping them to prove, either to themselves, or to others, living or deceased. What are these characters able to show through their gardening? How are they able to connect to their loved ones?

Essay Topic 3

What do you think the author was trying to get across with this novel? What was the primary theme? Was the author successful? How did the book make you feel? Did the author convince you of his primary point in writing the novel? Why or why not?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 737 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample