TTshawn

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? I think I would feel completely helpless. I wouldn't just stand there though. I would try to help get him out as long as I could, even if the car blew up while I was helping. I couldn't just sit back and watch him die. If I had failed to get him out, I would be scarred for life. The image would be permanently burned into my eyes. I would feel even worse the next day most likely. I don't think I could handle the stress and the comments from people. They would get seriously hurt if they said something to my face. If I was that depressed already, then it wouldn't take much for me to go off the handle on someone.

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. I would automatically assume that the cause of a teenage car accident would be alcohol. It is one of the leading causes for car accidents in young people. But however if it happened to be an accident involving the elderly, I would guess it was caused from either visibility problems, weak limbs, or something else that involves system failure.

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.

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.

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, then I would pick tobacco,the Twilight Saga, and Justin Beiber.The reason I would pick tobacco is because of the destruction it causes to the human body. It's one of the leading causes of cancer and causes your teeth to rot. It's something that's very addicting, so people have a hard time with quiting it. My next choice, the Twilight Saga, was a good pick in my opinion. I can't stand hearing about it. I've had to watch every movie because my mom made me. It's just so stupid with the team Edward and team Jacob. Like seriously people, it's not that big of a deal. My last pick is Justin Beiber. I seriously think this kid has no musical talent. All of his music is horrible. I usually wouldn't say things like that because I'm very eclectic when it comes to music. Another thing, his voice. His voice seems way to light for a 17 year old. He sounds like he's six. I hear more about this kid than I do about Twilight. I'm tired of all this "Beiber Fever" stuff. It's so ignorant. Those are the three things I would choose to get rid of if I had the option.

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. Well, really it depends on the location of the event. If it's all the way out in Springfeild, then I wouldn't expect them to come. But, if it's at a close venue then I would like them to come and watch. It gives you a good feeling when your parents are there.

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 wouldn't treat him any different from anyone else. Things like that happen every day. people have accidents sometimes. It's not his fault though. All of them except one was drinking. He's not a killer and he needs to stop blaming himself.

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 definitely is not a waste of time. There aren't many people that like homework. That fact aids in performing better on tests. When you have a question that you think is really stupid or pointless, then you're most likely going to remember that question because you didn't like it.

12. Do you feel that your parents 'get' you or don't understand you at all? What makes you think this? Explain. It really depends on the situation. They sometimes try to give me advice about people at school. Some kids they see as a good kid actually isn't in school. they're not around them so they don't understand. But on the other side, my parents are pretty young so they know what kind of things usually happen around high school. They told me I won't get away with many things because they've been there.

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?

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?