Plot and Story Events
What bet does Josh lose that leads to JB accidentally cutting off his hair?
A. A bet about who can make more free throws in a row
B. A bet about whether JB can make a game-winning shot
C. A bet about who will score more points in the next game
D. A bet about whether their dad was better than Michael Jordan
B. A bet about whether JB can make a game-winning shot
What job does the boys' mother have at their middle school?
A. English teacher
B. Basketball coach
C. Assistant Principal
D. School counselor
C. Assistant Principal
Find and write an example of repetition from the novel.
A. "He told it again, and then again, and again."
B. "The ball swish, the crowd roar, the bell ring."
C. "Miss Sweet Tea smiled like sunshine."
D. "He ran fast down the court."
A. "He told it again, and then again, and again."
What is a line in poetry?
A. A single word used to create rhyme
B. One row of text in a poem that may or may not be a complete sentence
C. A group of lines forming a paragraph in a poem
D. The title of a poem
B. One row of text in a poem that may or may not be a complete sentence
What is a theme?
A. One word that wraps up the story
B. A life-lesson to learn from the story.
C. The color of the book cover from the story.
D. An author's view of a character.
B. A life-lesson to learn from the story.
Where does Josh's nickname "Filthy McNasty" come from, and who gave it to him?
A. From his teammates because his playing style is aggressive
B. From his mother because he never cleans his room
C. From his father, named after a song on a Horace Silver jazz album
D. From a newspaper reporter who wrote about his basketball skills
C. From his father, named after a song on a Horace Silver jazz album
How does the novel end in terms of Josh and JB's relationship?
A. They agree to play at different high schools
B. JB gives Josh their father's championship ring as a peace offering
C. They decide to take a break from basketball together
D. Josh writes JB a letter that JB refuses to read
B. JB gives Josh their father's championship ring as a peace offering
What literary device describes words that imitate sounds (like "swish" or "kaboom")?
A. Metaphor
B. Onomatopoeia
C. Hyperbole
D. Irony
B. Onomatopoeia
Why does the author use so much figurative language throughout the novel?
A. To confuse the reader and make the book harder
B. To add humor only, without affecting character or mood
C. To enrich description, convey emotions, and deepen readers' connections to characters
D. To meet a word count requirement
C. To enrich description, convey emotions, and deepen readers' connections to characters
A theme is NOT a ___________________________.
(Hint: What do I always say for theme?)
ONE WORD ANSWER!
What specific event causes the first major drift between Josh and JB as brothers?
A. JB decides to quit the basketball team
B. JB gets a girlfriend named Alexis (Miss Sweet Tea)
C. JB gets better grades than Josh in school
D. JB is chosen as team captain instead of Josh
B. JB gets a girlfriend named Alexis (Miss Sweet Tea)
What medical condition causes their father's health to decline throughout the story?
A. Diabetes that he doesn't manage properly
B. A serious knee infection from an old injury
C. Hypertension (high blood pressure) leading to heart problems
D. Lung problems from years of smoking
C. Hypertension (high blood pressure) leading to heart problems
Write an example of personification (Choose the best example)
A. "The ball bounced off the wall."
B. "The sneakers fell to the ground."
C. "The scoreboard blinked like an eye."
D. "The ball tasted like victory."
C. "The scoreboard blinked like an eye."
What is hyperbole, and why does the author use it when Josh says Dad tells stories "for the hundredth time"?
A. An understatement to reduce emotional impact; used to calm tension
B. A reasonable estimate; used to give an exact count
C. An exaggeration for effect; used to show Josh's frustration and Dad's storytelling habit
D. A comparison using "like" or "as"; used to create imagery
C. An exaggeration for effect; used to show Josh's frustration and Dad's storytelling habit
What is one major topic of "The Crossover" that we could use for a theme?
A. Family and grief — the boys cope with their father's illness and grow closer after loss
B. Fantasy and adventure — the novel focuses on magical events and quests
C. Science and discovery — the story is mainly about experiments and inventions
D. Technology and isolation — characters are separated by devices and screens
A. Family and grief — the boys cope with their father's illness and grow closer after loss
Why does Josh get suspended from the basketball team?
A. He skips practice to spend time with a girl
B. He deliberately throws a basketball hard at JB's face during a game
C. He gets caught cheating on his vocabulary homework
D. He argues with the coach about playing time
B. He deliberately throws a basketball hard at JB's face during a game
How does Josh's nickname "Filthy McNasty" show what he’s like at the beginning of the story? How does he change at the end?
A. It shows his love of dirty plays, which he learns to clean up
B. It symbolizes confidence and swagger shared with his father, transforming into mature personal identity after loss
C. It represents his messy room habits, which improve over time
D. It shows his desire to be famous, which changes to wanting privacy
B. It symbolizes confidence and swagger shared with his father, transforming into mature personal identity after loss
What type of figurative language is used in "He looked at me like he'd missed the train"?
A. Simile
B. Metaphor
C. Alliteration
D. Personification
A. Simile
Which of the following best defines consonance, and which example from The Crossover would illustrate it?
A. Repetition of vowel sounds in nearby words; example: "the ball roared and soared"
B. Repetition of consonant sounds at the ends or middles of nearby words; example: "Filthy McNasty's finish got him offered to play for a team off-shore"
B. Repetition of consonant sounds at the ends or middles of nearby words; example: "Filthy McNasty's finish got him offered to play for a team off-shore"
Name one potential theme from "The Crossover"
Any answer that is a full theme statement and is supported through "The Crossover"
What are two reasons why Chuck Bell refuses to go to the doctor despite his health problems?
A. He can't afford it and doesn't trust modern medicine
B. He distrusts doctors because his father died in a hospital and believes healthy eating is enough
C. He's afraid of needles and doesn't want to miss coaching
D. He thinks doctors will make him stop playing basketball and he's too proud
B. He distrusts doctors because his father died in a hospital and believes healthy eating is enough
AND
D. He thinks doctors will make him stop playing basketball and he's too proud
What story/example from the text best shows that JB is starting to develop his own identity separate from Josh?
A. "I'm not bald like JB, but my hair's close enough"
B. "Dad, this girl is making Jordan act weird. He's here, but he's not."
C. "Well, with game like this that's where me and JB are headed."
D. "I tell her you don't have to be his twin to know what he's thinking."
B. "Dad, this girl is making Jordan act weird. He's here, but he's not."
What is an example of alliteration from "The Crossover"?
Up to Mr. Soemer!
Which choice correctly identifies assonance and selects the best classroom example students could find in The Crossover?
A. Assonance is the repetition of consonant sounds; example: "jump, juke, joy"
B. Assonance is rhyme at the ends of lines; example: "court / sort"
C. Assonance is the repetition of vowel sounds in nearby words; example: "Dad came and laid blame"
D. Assonance is the use of exaggerated language; example: "for the hundredth time"
C. Assonance is the repetition of vowel sounds in nearby words; example: "Dad came and laid blame"
Provide 1 piece of evidence to support your chosen theme.
Any answer that is a full quote directly from "The Crossover" that applies to their theme.