TT+Ronelle

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? If i was one of the boys who escaped the crash, the things that are going through my head is why am I just standing here, should I go help, or just stnad here and watch him burn in that car. Physically I don't think I should be alive. I should of died instead of Rob. Mentally I feel horrible that I didn't go and help him. Tomorrow I probably won't feel any better. I will just try my best and move on with my life.

2. When you hear or read of a car accident that involved teenagers, what do you tend to assume was the cause of the accident? What about if you hear about an accident involving the elderly? Explain your answers. When I hear about teenagers getting in an accident, I assume that they were drinking, or doing drugs. Most teens do that stuff and go and drive. If I hear about an elderly person in an accident, I assume that they just fell asleep or someone crashed into them. Elders are more mature than teenagers and go and drink or do drugs. 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 you closer together? Does it set you off from others? Explain.

4. In a paragraph rich with sensory detail, write about your own most frightening moment. My most frightening moment is when my parents wrecked their 4-wheeler. It happened about six years ago. Me and my brother stayed at our uncles house while they went with their friends on a 4-wheeler ride. My mom didn't really want to go, but she still did. It happened late at night. The next moring my moms sister came and told us what happened. I was scared because I thought that they died. The 4-wheeler landed on my moms leg and she lost her phemor, and now has a rod where it was. My dad broke a few ribs and his left arm. He now has a rod there. The doctor said that my mom could of died. They also said that she would never be able to walk again, but now she walks perfectly fine. That was my most frightening moment

5. Although many people did cry, 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. I feel bad when I hear about an accident that has occured that I do not know or that isn't in my family. I do because those lives that were lost. Those peoples family has lost someone that they knew or love.

6. One //Herald// editorial says that statistics don't usually "mean much, but this statistic (Rob) had a name, face,..." Do you agree that it is hard to feel emotional about the statistics when you do not have a face to relate them to?

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. If I could rid the world of three things it would be alcohol, saurkraut, and skunks. First I would get rid or alohol because it causes many accidents. It make people do stupid things. My aunt died because of alcohol poisining. Second, I would get rid of saurkraut. I would because it smells and takes horrible. One time there was some in the fridge for about a week and it made the whole house smell really bad. Last, I would get rid of skunks. I would because they let out a really bad smell when they are frightened. I was with my neighbors one time and we seen a skunk. it sprayed but we ran away in time, and it didn't hit us. Those are three things i would rid the world of and why.

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. It is important for parents to show up for their kids games because kids parents should be supportive of their kids. Sometimes kids do better if they know that they have people that they care about come and watch them. If I played a sport I would like my parents to come and watch me play

9. In Rob's absence, Andy becomes the star of the basketball team. Write about a time when your talents were overshadowed by a friend or a sibling. How did it make you feel? Did you wish that something would happen that would give you a chance to shine? Elaborate

10. Andy mentions that some kids at school haven't looked him in the face since the acident;one even taped a mean note to is locker. How would you treat Andy now? Elaborate. I would treat Andy the same. It wasn't his fault that Rob died. He wasn't able to go and help

11.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. Homework helps me perform better on tests. Its almost like a study sheet. It does seem purposeful for me. I do not think its a waste of time.

12. Do you feel that your parents 'get' you or don't understand you at all? What makes you think this? Explain. I don't believe my parents get me at all. They think they know a lot about me and they really don't. They tell me I shouldn't hang out with some of the people I hang out with. They dont know my lifestyle and the things I like to do.

13. Andy believes that his friends would talk about him if he won academic awards, and 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? The affect academic achievement has on me is that if I won one I wouln'd care if my friends made fun of me. I would just be glad that I did something good.

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

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

16. Andy envisions that Monty will have a future as a lawyer or a doctor. 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 for your future? I can't picture myself in 15 years. I can't because I don't know what I want to be yet. I have no idea what to envision for my future.