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. When Sebastian tries to call the dome and Nana finally picks up the phone, what name does she yell into the phone at who she believes is another person calling to harass her?

2. For how many hours does Sebastian sleep after he gets kicked out of Nana's house and passes out in Janice's van?

3. Before they begin their first band practice, what simile does Sebastian use to describe the sounds their instruments make one they are plugged in?

4. For how many years has Janice worked at the Immanuel Methodist Church?

5. How much do the supplies cost for the first round of gig posters?

Short Essay Questions

1. What reason does Jared cite when he tells Sebastian why he had stopped taking his medication?

2. What is the big news Jared tells Sebastian about their band the day that Nana kicks Sebastian out of the house?

3. What is Jared's reaction to Sebastian catching Meredith when Sebastian catches her after her fall from the balance beam and why?

4. How does Sebastian apply his understanding of sorting to his and Jared's efforts within the songwriting process?

5. What does Jared retrieve from the closet once he sees how worried Sebastian is about Nana the day he has been kicked out of Nana's house?

6. What does Nana reveal she thinks has caused Sebastian to stay out all night when he returns from staying the night at Jared's house?

7. To whom does Sebastian hear Janice talking on the phone when he gets back to the Whitcombs' house after he and Meredith finish hanging gig posters?

8. What does Janice cite as the destiny of all mothers?

9. What is the significance of Meredith thinking Sebastian is Jared at her door and telling him to get away from the door and that she is fine?

10. What does Sebastian discover about the origin of the word punk, and how does he apply the knowledge to his own band?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Trace Sebastian's character arc from the beginning of the novel to the end. In what ways does he change, demonstrating the elements of a dynamic character and helping to reinforce the novel's major themes?

Essay Topic 2

What is the function of language within the novel and how does the author use differences in diction, word choice, and formality levels within the dialogue of the various characters in order to support a number of the novel's underlying themes?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the carnivalesque nature of the novel's climax and explain how its qualities of the carnivalesque mesh with the novel's inherent themes.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,125 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample