Brandon's Story
In Chapter 17, what gives Brandon hope that he may be able to contact his father?
A. Richard tells him his father has already escaped.
B. He realizes the phones are still working.
C. Firefighters tell him Windows on the World is safe.
D. He sees his father through an office window.
B. He realizes the phones are still working.
What does Reshmina discover inside the hidden cave in Chapter 18?
A. A Taliban weapons cache
B. A hidden American military camp
C. Pasoon's collection of childhood toys
D. A group of injured villagers
A. A Taliban weapons cache
Brandon blames himself for the burned woman's injuries, even though Richard tells him he helped save her life. What type of conflict is Brandon experiencing?
A. Man vs. Nature
B. Man vs. Society
C. Man vs. Self
D. Man vs. Technology
C. Man vs. Self
What narrative device does Gratz use when Chapter 18 ends immediately after Pasoon says he is going to call the Taliban?
A. Flashback
B. Foreshadowing
C. Cliffhanger
D. Irony
C. Cliffhanger
Which pairing correctly identifies the setting and time period for the two main storylines?
A. Brandon — Afghanistan, 2001; Reshmina — New York City, 2019
B. Brandon — New York City, 2001; Reshmina — Afghanistan, 2019
C. Brandon — New York City, 2019; Reshmina — Afghanistan, 2001
D. Brandon — Afghanistan, 2019; Reshmina — New York City, 2001
B. Brandon — New York City, 2001; Reshmina — Afghanistan, 2019
In Chapter 20, Pasoon speaks “animatedly” with the Taliban. What does animatedly most nearly mean in this context?
A. Secretly and cautiously
B. Sadly and quietly
C. Excitedly and energetically
D. Afraid and unsure
C. Excitedly and energetically
In Chapter 19, how does Brandon's father's reaction change after the second plane hits the South Tower?
A. He becomes angry with Brandon for staying in the building.
B. He remains calm and tells Brandon to wait for firefighters.
C. He becomes frightened and urgently tells Brandon to get out.
D. He tells Brandon to come upstairs to Windows on the World.
C. He becomes frightened and urgently tells Brandon to get out.
Why does Reshmina leave Pasoon behind at the end of Chapter 20?
A. She believes Pasoon will eventually follow her home.
B. She wants to find the abandoned American camp.
C. She realizes she cannot stop him and must warn her family and village.
D. She decides the Taliban will not believe Pasoon.
C. She realizes she cannot stop him and must warn her family and village.
Reshmina physically fights Pasoon for the rifle because she wants to stop him from calling the Taliban. Which conflict BEST describes this situation?
A. Man vs. Fate
B. Man vs. Man
C. Man vs. Society
D. Man vs. Nature
B. Man vs. Man
What is the MAIN effect of the cliffhanger at the end of Chapter 18?
A. It creates suspense and uncertainty about what Pasoon will do next.
B. It explains why Pasoon wants to leave his family.
C. It slows the story so readers can reflect on the weapons cache.
D. It proves that Reshmina has solved her conflict with Pasoon.
A. It creates suspense and uncertainty about what Pasoon will do next.
Which important similarity BEST connects Brandon and Reshmina in Chapters 17-22?
A. Both are young people caught in dangerous conflicts they did not create and must make difficult choices.
B. Both are trying to join groups involved in the larger conflict.
C. Both are separated from every member of their families.
D. Both believe violence is the best way to solve their problems.
A. Both are young people caught in dangerous conflicts they did not create and must make difficult choices.
In Chapter 20, Gratz describes the fight between Reshmina and Pasoon as “vicious.” What does vicious suggest about their fight?
A. It has become violent, cruel, and much more serious than their earlier fighting.
B. It is another playful fight between the twins.
C. It is carefully planned by both Reshmina and Pasoon.
D. It ends before either twin becomes truly upset.
A. It has become violent, cruel, and much more serious than their earlier fighting.
Richard believes Brandon helped save the burned woman's life, but Brandon believes his decision caused her suffering. What does this disagreement BEST reveal about Brandon?
A. He is struggling with guilt and feels responsible for the consequences of his choices.
B. He no longer trusts Richard because Richard disagrees with him.
C. He believes he should have stayed inside the elevator.
D. He is more concerned about being blamed than about the woman's injuries.
A. He is struggling with guilt and feels responsible for the consequences of his choices.
Why is "Gone" an effective title for Chapter 20 even though Pasoon is still physically present at the end?
A. The Taliban have disappeared from the mountains.
B. Reshmina realizes the close bond she shared with Pasoon is gone.
C. Taz has secretly left Reshmina's village.
D. The American military camp is no longer visible.
B. Reshmina realizes the close bond she shared with Pasoon is gone.
In Chapter 21, Brandon and Richard struggle to descend through the damaged tower while phone calls fail or return busy signals. Which pair of conflicts is BEST supported by these problems?
A. Man vs. Nature/environment and Man vs. Technology
B. Man vs. Man and Man vs. Fate
C. Man vs. Society and Man vs. Self
D. Man vs. Technology and Man vs. Society
A. Man vs. Nature/environment and Man vs. Technology
Why is the sudden change in Brandon's father's tone after the second plane hits important to Chapter 19?
A. It shows that he is disappointed in Brandon.
B. It signals that the characters now understand the crashes are not accidents and increases urgency.
C. It reveals that he already knew a second plane would hit.
D. It reduces the tension by giving Brandon clear directions.
B. It signals that the characters now understand the crashes are not accidents and increases urgency.
How do Richard and Pasoon affect Brandon and Reshmina differently during these chapters?
A. Both characters create additional danger for the protagonist.
B. Richard tries to stop Brandon from escaping, while Pasoon helps Reshmina protect the village.
C. Richard supports and guides Brandon, while Pasoon increasingly becomes a source of conflict and danger for Reshmina.
D. Both characters encourage the protagonist to ignore the larger conflict.
C. Richard supports and guides Brandon, while Pasoon increasingly becomes a source of conflict and danger for Reshmina.
In Chapter 19, words connected to “panic,” “terror,” and “horror” appear as Brandon realizes the danger around him. Which statement BEST explains the effect of these words?
A. They show that Brandon is becoming angry with his father for staying upstairs.
B. They suggest that Brandon has stopped understanding what is happening around him.
C. They make the scene seem calmer because Brandon is finally talking to his father.
D. They emphasize Brandon’s intense fear and help create an increasingly tense and urgent mood.
D. They emphasize Brandon’s intense fear and help create a tense and urgent mood.
Which sequence BEST represents Brandon's emotional development across Chapters 17-21?
A. Fear → anger → confidence → relief → excitement
B. Confusion → happiness → guilt → calm → confidence
C. Hope → confidence → anger → relief → peace
D. Guilt → hope → relief → fear → growing anxiety
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PART B: Explain at least TWO events supporting your answer.
D. Guilt → hope → relief → fear → growing anxiety
PART A: Which statement BEST explains how Reshmina's goal changes from Chapter 18 to the end of Chapter 20?
A. She changes from wanting to find Pasoon to wanting to join him.
B. She changes from protecting Taz to trying to destroy the weapons cache.
C. She changes from trying to avoid the Taliban to trying to speak with them.
D. She changes from trying to bring Pasoon home to accepting she cannot stop him and choosing to warn her village.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------PART B: What are TWO events that support your answer?
D. She changes from trying to bring Pasoon home to accepting she cannot stop him and choosing to warn her village.
Which statement BEST compares Brandon's Man vs. Self conflict in Chapter 17 with Reshmina's Man vs. Man conflict with Pasoon?
A. Both conflicts are caused by characters refusing to follow adult directions.
B. Both conflicts are solved immediately when another character offers help.
C. Neither conflict affects the characters' later decisions.
D. Both force the characters to consider their responsibility for others' safety and well-being.
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PART B: Explain why you chose your answer using evidence from the text.
D. Both force the characters to consider their responsibility for others' safety and well-being.
Which statement BEST compares how Gratz uses withheld information at the ends of Chapters 18 and 21?
A. Both endings reveal the cause of the danger but hide which character caused it.
B. Chapter 18 resolves Pasoon's choice, while Chapter 21 resolves the danger in the tower.
C. Both endings remove suspense by explaining exactly what has happened.
D. Chapter 18 withholds the consequences of Pasoon's decision, while Chapter 21 withholds the cause and outcome of a sudden new danger.
D. Chapter 18 withholds the consequences of Pasoon's decision, while Chapter 21 withholds the cause and outcome of a sudden new danger.
Which theme BEST connects the "scars" Brandon carries in Chapter 17 with Reshmina's feelings about losing her bond with Pasoon?
A. Pain disappears completely once immediate danger has passed.
B. Family relationships are always repaired after conflict.
C. Physical injuries are more important than emotional experiences.
D. Conflict can leave lasting emotional wounds even after a particular moment of danger is over.
D. Conflict can leave lasting emotional wounds even after a particular moment of danger is over.
Suppose Gratz replaced the word vicious when describing Reshmina and Pasoon’s fight with the word serious. How would this change MOST affect the passage?
A. It would make Pasoon seem more excited about joining the Taliban.
B. It would weaken the sense of violence and emotional damage in the twins’ conflict.
C. It would make Reshmina appear more responsible for beginning the fight.
D. It would strengthen the contrast between their current fight and their childhood relationship.
B. It would weaken the sense of violence and emotional damage in the twins’ conflict.
Across Chapters 17, 19, and 21, Brandon repeatedly faces situations he cannot control. Which claim BEST explains how these experiences develop his understanding of courage?
A. Courage means avoiding dangerous situations whenever possible.
B. Courage means continuing to act and make decisions even while afraid and uncertain.
C. Courage means becoming fearless after surviving a traumatic event.
D. Courage means taking complete responsibility for everything that happens to others.
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PART B: What evidence from these chapters proves your answer?
B. Courage means continuing to act and make decisions even while afraid and uncertain.
PART A: Across Chapters 18, 20, and 22, which claim BEST explains how difficult circumstances develop Reshmina's character?
A. They make her increasingly responsible and determined to act even when doing so is painful.
B. They convince her that she should stop helping other people.
C. They cause her to depend on Pasoon to make important decisions.
D. They teach her that avoiding conflict is always the safest choice.
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PART B: For full credit, you should support your answer with evidence from one of the chapters above.
A. They make her increasingly responsible and determined to act even when doing so is painful.
PART A: Which claim BEST explains how conflict influences BOTH Brandon's and Reshmina's decisions in Chapters 17-22?
A. Different types of conflict force both characters to make difficult decisions about their responsibility to others.
B. External conflicts matter because neither character experiences meaningful internal conflict.
C. Their conflicts prevent both characters from making decisions for themselves.
D. Both characters solve their conflicts once they accept help from another person.
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PART B: For full credit, provide one example from Brandon's storyline and one from Reshmina's storyline.
A. Different types of conflict force both characters to make difficult decisions about their responsibility to others.
Why is Gratz's decision to alternate between Brandon's 2001 storyline and Reshmina's 2019 storyline especially effective?
A. It allows readers to compare how violence and conflict affect ordinary people across different times and places.
B. It proves that Brandon and Reshmina experience exactly the same events.
C. It keeps the reader from understanding how the two conflicts are connected.
D. It shows that only one storyline is important to the novel's larger message.
A. It allows readers to compare how violence and conflict affect ordinary people across different times and places.
Which theme statement is BEST supported by BOTH Brandon's and Reshmina's experiences in Chapters 17-22?
A. Courage requires people to act for others even when they are frightened, hurt, or uncertain themselves.
B. Courage comes when people avoid responsibility if circumstances are beyond their control.
C. Courage means never feeling afraid during a crisis.
D. Difficult conflicts can always be courageously solved when family members agree.
A. Courage requires people to act for others even when they are frightened, hurt, or uncertain themselves.
PART A: Gratz uses emotionally powerful language in both Brandon’s and Reshmina’s chapters. Which statement BEST explains why this word choice is important across BOTH storylines?
A. The strong language helps readers understand that conflict causes emotional as well as physical harm to the people experiencing it.
B. The language suggests that Brandon and Reshmina react to conflict in exactly the same way.
C. The language proves that physical danger is more important than the characters’ relationships and emotions.
D. The language mainly provides factual information about the settings of New York and Afghanistan.
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PART B: Support your answer with one example from Brandon's storyline AND one from Reshmina's storyline.
A. The strong language helps readers understand that conflict causes emotional as well as physical harm to the people experiencing it.