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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 Chapter 13, to whom does Shawn's dad say that he is not interested in taking the wheelchair for a ride?

2. At the end of Chapter 9, what suddenly matters a lot to Shawn?

3. When did Shawn's mother get her nickname?

4. What happens during the commercial after the interview of Earl Detraux on the Alice Ponds Show?

5. Cindy says something on the Alice Ponds Show that Paul calls "classic." What does she say?

Short Essay Questions

1. On The Alice Ponds Show, there is a clip of an interview between Sydney McDaniel and Earl Detraux. What does Earl Detraux look like and what is his demeanor?

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

3. In Chapter 14, why does Shawn fall asleep exhausted at ten o'clock that night?

4. What does Shawn try to tell his father over and over again in Chapter 16, and why?

5. What is apparent about the relationship between Paul and his father after Paul finds out that his father wants him to go on the Alice Ponds show?

6. How does Shawn react to meeting his sister's friend Ally, and why?

7. 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?

8. Why does Paul grab Cindy by the shirt front and pull back his fist to hit her?

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

10. What does Shawn mean when he says that "invisibility has its advantages" when it comes to girls?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

What are Shawn's main methods for learning about life? Does he learn from people, through other means, or both? How does Shawn learn in these ways? What challenges does learning in these ways present? How does Shawn's intelligence and genius help or hinder him in the process when he encounters a learning challenge?

Essay Topic 2

Watching The Alice Ponds Show, it is apparent that both Sydney McDaniel and Earl Detraux say that killing their children is about doing the right thing for the kids. Write an essay about the theme of parental responsibility and mercy killing a disabled child as it relates to Sydney and/or Earl. Pick one of these topics to write about.

Topic 1) What is Sydney's attitude toward the mercy killing a disabled child? It is analogous to what type of disciplinary action a parent might take? How does he relate it to parental responsibility? What is his attitude toward Earl's mercy killing of his child, Collin? Who or what does Sydney say killed Collin?

Topic 2) What is Earl's attitude toward the mercy killing of his own son? Why does he say he smothers him? How does he relate it to parental responsibility? What does he say when asked how he would feel if a cure for Collin is invented? How does this relate to parental responsibility? Is Earl's behavior an example of a mature level of parental responsibility? Why or why not?

Topic 3) What are the similarities and differences between Sydney's and Earl's point of view on parental responsibility and mercy killing a disabled child. Do you think that Earl's actions influence Sydney, validate Sydney's already-existing point of view, or something else? Is Sydney's thought process about mercy killing a disabled child indicative of a mature level of parental responsibility? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 3

One evening, Shawn is left with Vonda, his respite care provider. That evening, lying alone in the dark, Shawn hears his father come into the house. Vonda is a fan of Mr. McDaniel and asks for an autograph. How is Vonda's behavior toward Shawn and Sydney symbolic of the way they each are treated by the general population? How did this dichotomy come about? How does it affect Shawn's quality of life in general? What might it mean in particular on the night that Shawn's father's orders are followed unquestioningly? Provide examples from the novel to back up your point of view.

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