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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. In the chaos of packing to drive to Spokane, who tries to kiss Shawn's forehead?

2. What seems to fall off of the computer screen in Chapter 14?

3. In the dream in Chapter 14, where does Shawn hide?

4. In the stanza of the poem that opens Chapter 9, what is the ghost bird replacing?

5. Paul gets on the bus with his teammates to go to what destination?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does Shawn say in Chapter 12 that he never loved or feared his brother more than at one particular moment the previous summer?

2. Why is it significant that Shawn's father volunteers to take care of Shawn by himself overnight and sends Vonda home?

3. What are some of the things in Chapter 10 that Shawn remembers about his mother from over the years that make him feel loved?

4. Shawn looks at his father, who is sitting on the bed apparently considering whether or not he should end Shawn's life. What does he notice about his father's appearance?

5. Which characters are going to Spokane in chapter 13 and why is it significant that they are going?

6. The morning after Ally spends the night, why does Shawn think that something is wrong?

7. While Shawn has a doozy of a seizure during the end of the Alice Ponds show, what does he experience?

8. If Shawn has never been to his father's house, does Shawn have an accurate knowledge of what his father's bedroom looks like, and if so, how does he know?

9. What is in Shawn's father's bedroom that is reminiscent of the virtual ride through the cosmos at the science center and why is this significant?

10. Paul and Shawn's mother have opposite views about Sydney, Shawn's father. Who does Shawn agree with and what is his opinion of his father?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Shawn remembers when he was four and his father attempts to feed him. Shawn's coughs food onto his father's face. He complains to his wife about how hard it is to deal with Shawn's disabilities. How does this incident typify Sydney McDaniel's reaction to Shawn's disabilities? Identify how often in his life has Shawn's father has fed him. According to Sydney, his anger during this incident is directed at what or whom? Why? When Sydney says he "can't do this any more." To what is he referring? Is Sydney's reaction to Shawn's disabilities valid or logical? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 2

Shawn, his sister, and his mother witness the death of a dog that is hit by a car. How does this experience affect Shawn and his perception of death?

Part 1) What are the circumstances surrounding the death of the dog? How is the dog injured? What do Shawn's sister and mother do when the dog is injured? What do they do when the dog dies? What does Shawn see and experience when the dog dies and what is his attitude toward death just after the dog dies?

Part 2) Why is it important in the story that Shawn remembers witnessing the death of the dog? How does the topic of death relate to Shawn's own life? Does experiencing the death of the dog affect Shawn? How does Shawn feel about death as he remembers the death of the dog, and what does Shawn think death means at this point in his life?

Essay Topic 3

Sydney McDaniel writes a poem that wins him a Pulitzer prize. This poem symbolizes everything Mr. McDaniel sees and feels about Shawn's disability. Shawn, however, has mixed feelings about the poem. He believes that the fame that the poem brings his father has made him into a professional victim. He also sees the valid benefits of the fame. Name three ways in which the poem turns Sydney into a professional victim and several ways that the fame produces valid benefits for the family.

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