View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What is revealed about Cal's father in the Shooting Stars finale in Chapter 21?

2. With whom does Cal's dad regularly carpool to work?

3. How does Cal get to the NASA headquarters in Chapter 27?

4. What song plays first on the Heart cassette that Cal finds in his room in Chapter 25?

5. Where does Cal's mom say they will be flying in a few days to see a satellite launch in Chapter 17?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Cal's father describe the political views of those against funding for the Orpheus project in Chapter 19?

2. Who is Tori and why is she important in the narrative?

3. What does Kiara reveal on the Shooting Stars finale in Chapter 21?

4. What launch does Cal go to observe in Chapter 18? Why is it important?

5. Why do Cal and his mother go to the Tucker house in Chapter 14?

6. How do the Shooting Stars episodes begin to change in tone by Chapter 18?

7. Who does Cal interview first at NASA in Chapter 24? What does this character talk about?

8. Why does Leon feel upset at the celebration party in Chapter 17?

9. Who is interviewed on Shooting Stars in the end of Chapter 20? How does the interview end?

10. What cassette tape does Cal find in his room in Chapter 25? What does it signify?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss pop-culture allusions and references in The Gravity of Us. What bands, musicians, celebrities, and artists are referenced in the novel? Why? What references are made to contemporary politicians and companies? What is their significance?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the theme of old versus new media in The Gravity of Us. What symbolism relates to this theme? What statement(s) do you think the author is making about new media? How are new and old media juxtaposed in the narrative?

Essay Topic 3

Describe and discuss three examples of foreshadowing in the novel. What event is foreshadowed? How does the author indicate this event? Does the author make use of red herrings in the narrative? How do these examples serve the text?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 888 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample