TTMara

1. Put yourself in place of one of the boys who escaped the crash but was forced to watch "helplessly as Rob died". What is going through your head? How do you feel physically and mentally ?How do you think that you will feel tomorrow?

1) If I were forced to watch a close friend helplessly die, I would be in shock. I wouldn't be the same anymore. I would never be able to smile the same way as I used to, because I would always know that I could have prevented the crash from even happening.

2. When you hear or read of a car accident that involved teenagers, what do you assume is the cause of the accident - drinking, speed - drugs? What about if you hear about a car accident involving the elderly? Explain your answers.

2) I automatically assume that it is because of drinking. I know that drinking isn't always the cause, but usually it is. I assume that it is drinking because I know that most teenagers just want to party and have fun, but sometimes it is fatal. When I hear about an elderly person getting into a car accident, I assume that they fell asleep, or they were speeding.

3. Andy and Rob have their own slang and manner of speaking. On the surface they seem to be putting each other down, but it is clear to us that they are close friends who respect each other. What purpose does this style of language serve? Does it draw kids closer together? Does it set you off from others? Explain.

3) Andy and Rob are just kidding with eachother. My friends and I talk like that sometimes just to be funny.

4. In a paragraph rich with sensory detail, write about your own most frightening moment.

5. Even though many people cried, Rhonda did not cry after the accident occured; she was angry. When or if a public tragedy occurs and it is not someone in your immediate family (9/11/01), how do you respond? Explain.

5) If a public tragedy occured and no one in my immediate family was hurt, I would still feel sad that somewhere in the world, there was a family that lost someone that they loved.

6. One //Herald// editorial says that statistics don't usually "mean much, but this statistic (Rob) had a name, face,..."When we hear of a statistic such as this that reports someone dying in a drunk-driving accident every 18 minutes - how do you feel? Do you agree that it is hard to feel emotional about the numbers when you do not have a face to relate it to?

6) I think when someone gets hurt, people get more depressed and in shock if it is someone that they have met or know.

7. In his homework assigment, Gerald writes that he would rid the world of 3 things. What 3 things would you rid the world of? Stick to concrete items, and back up your choices with personal reasons why you are eliminating them.

7) If I could rid the world of three things, it would be fast food, rubber softball bases, and glass doors. I would get rid of fast food beacause I think it is addicting. I believe that if there wasn't fast food I wouldn't be so overweight. I would get rid of rubber softball bases because they are dangerous to slide into. One time I broke my entire growth plate and ankle sliding into a rubber softball base. I would get rid of glass doors because when I was young, my sister and I were playing tag and I ran through our glass screen door. Ever since I ran through the glass door, I have a scar going down my arm.

8. Neither of Andy's parents bother to show up for the game. How important is it for you that your parents turn out for the events in which you participate? Explain.

8) It is very important for my parents to show up for the events that I participate in. It is important because I want them to be proud of me.

9.Andy mentions that some kids at school haven't looked him in the face since the accident; one even taped a mean note to his locker. How would you treat Andy now? Elaborate.

10.Does doing homework help you to perform better on tests? Does homework seem purposeful to you, or is it basically a waste of time? What alternate do you suggest? Defend your answer with three (3) points.

11. Do you feel that your parents 'get' you or don't understand you at all? What makes you think this? Explain.

11) I think that my parents try their best to understand me. They don't always understand me, but no one will completely understand me unless they are me.

12.Andy believed that his friends would talk about him if he won academic awards. Then consider Marcus's unpopularity due to his achievement. Is academic failure or apathy built into teenager's notions about what is 'cool'? What effect does academic achievement have on you?

13. We learn about Andy's grades and study habits. Do you think the guidance counselor who advised him against going into pre-law was being realistic or unfair? Defend your answer.

13) I think that the guidance counselor who advised him against going into pre-law was being unfair. Adults aren't supposed to tell us that we can't do something, they are supposed to help us to succeed our goals.

14. In a class discussion, Keisha says, "All of us at one time or another feel like a cinder among the snowflakes. You stand out when you just want to blend in, you get noticed whether you want to or not". In a paragraph, write about when you have felt like a "cinder among the snowflakes".

15. Andy envisions Monty will have a future as a doctor or lawyer. But when he thinks of his own future, he sees a blank, or darkness. Can you picture who you will be in 15 years? What do you envision about your future?

15) In 15 years I don't know where and/or who I will be. I wish I could know but I can't. I hope that I have a good job and maybe a family of my own, but for now I will just have to work hard to make my life the way that I want it to be.