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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. Who wants to learn how to ski?

2. What ends the night out with Davey, Jane, and the boys?

3. Who believes that skiing is too dangerous?

4. Where does Davey travel to with her family?

5. Who invites Davey to go shopping?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Davey show that she wants closeness and intimacy?

2. Why does Davey lie to Jane about the way her father died?

3. There is comic relief in Chapter 24 when Jason makes a joke about the reason he gets out of bed in the morning. Why is this scene significant in the story?

4. What different coping mechanisms do Davey and her family utilize?

5. In what ways does Davey refuse to become a part of her new school? Why?

6. What triggers Davey's memories of her father when she has first arrived in New Mexico?

7. Why is Gwen a bad example of support for Davey?

8. How does Atlantic City compare to Santa Fe?

9. Why does Jane get drunk when Davey spends the night?

10. Describe Walter's character.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

How is grief a theme in the story? How does the author achieve a tone that allows grief to be a theme?

Essay Topic 2

Why is it significant that Davey and her father are both dreamers?

Essay Topic 3

Why is Davey's first-person perspective important in developing the story?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 680 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample