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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. After his first "date" with Fertility, Tender returns to his apartment and receives a call from a man. What does he say?

2. What does the pilot of the hijacked plane tell Tender will stay on until the plane crashes?

3. Fertility tells Tender she would kill herself how?

4. Who does Tender want to talk to his caseworker about?

5. What does Tender do immediately after he discovers his caseworker's body?

Short Essay Questions

1. What did Tender Branson learn in school as a tender, and what rules is he supposed to follow in the outside world?

2. What is the exchange between the pilot and Tender Branson before the pilot leaves the hijacked plane?

3. How does Tender come to receive calls intended for a suicide prevention hotline and why does he continue to take them?

4. How does naming or rank work in the Creedish Church culture?

5. What was done to inspire the tenders and the biddies to get "perfect" before they left for the real world? What does Tender say about this?

6. How does Tender feel as he realizes he is the last remaining survivor of the Creedish Church?

7. What would the exchange be like if Tender saw another member of the Creedish Church in the outside world?

8. What diseases does the caseworker diagnose Tender with, and why does she do this?

9. What do Fertility and Tender do on their third date after they get off of the bus?

10. Describe Tender's job and the duties involved.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Describe the Creedish Church using details from the novel. How does the name structure of the Creedish work? Who is allowed to get married and what happens to everyone else? What did the Creedish elders do the young children who would be sent out to work and why? Why did the Creedish commit suicide, and what were the circumstances that led to this?

Essay Topic 2

This novel has a unique structure. Instead of starting at chapter 1 and ascending chronologically, the novel starts at chapter 47 and chronologically descends. The page numbers also descend, as the novel starts on page 289. What is the purpose of structuring the novel in this fashion? What effect does this have on the novel and on Tender Branson's story?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the character of Tender Branson, the main character in the novel. Include Tender's biographical details and a description of his personality. Consider the following questions: What is Tender's problem with personal relationships? How does Tender's childhood affect him? Why didn't Tender commit suicide when the other members of the Creedish Church did? How does Tender interact with the people he encounters in his life?

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This section contains 1,288 words (approx. 5 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample