TT+Carly

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 were in place of one of the boys who escaped the crash, there would be many thoughts rushing through my head. Questions such as, What should I do? How are we going to help him? Should we risk our lives to help him? He's my bestfriend, I have to. I would feel terrible the next day and I would feel like it was my fault that he died.

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. When I hear or read about a car accident involving teenagers, I usually think that drinking or speed is the cause of it. Some teens go faster just to act cool, or drink and drive because they think they can handle it or nothing will happen to them. When I hear about a car accident involving the elderly, I usually think that they cannot see or they are driving too slow and someone who is driving over the speed limit hits them.

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.

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

6. 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. When a publice tragedy occurs and they are not in my immediate family I am not sad and I do not cry. I feel sorry for the family about their loss, though. If I do not know the person, my life would be the same after it happened. I would still think of the things that happened in the accident and take them as a lesson I could use later in life. If it was one of my friends or someone I was close to, I would cry. I couldn't imagine losing one of my friends. My life would be very different by losing one of them.

7. 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?

8. 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 get rid of three things, I would get rid of cigarettes, flies, and semi-trucks. First, I would get rid of cigarettes because they can hurt people physically and mentally. People can even die from them. Why would cigarette companies keep making them if they make people so sick? I think cigarettes are disgusting and ruin people's lives. People who use cigarettes may think they are relaxing, but they are only hurting themselves. Next, I would get rid of flies. Flies bother and annoy me. They are actually worthless. They do nothing to help us, and they are very hard to get rid of. Finally, I would get rid of semi-trucks. I hate going past semi's on the road. They scare me a too much. The driver can't see you behind the truck so they don't know if anyone is trying to pass them. Although they are good for carrying a lot of big equiptment, they cause a lot of accidents. I will always be scared to drive by them. If I could rid of anything I would get rid of cigarettes, flies, and semi-trucks.

9. 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 very important to me if my parents come to my games or not. I know they will always come to support not only me, but my team. I feel very important when they come. My parents told me they love to watch me play. Sometimes my dad gets too into the game and yells from the stands, but I know he is just helping me. My parents always tell me my mistakes, how many shots I had, or how well I did. It gives me a lot of confidence when they come to my games.

10. 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. I would treat Andy with sympathay. I know it wasn't his fault, and I wouldn't want him to think it was. He has enough going on through his mind as it is. Andy would never intentionally kill Rob, he was his bestfriend. I would feel bad for Andy. He lost his bestfriend in a car accident, while he was driving. I think that would be too much for him to handle on his own.

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 answerwith three (3) points. <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">﻿I think homework does help me perform better on tests. It gives me extra practice so I will do better on my tests. Sometimes too much homework is a waste of time or takes up too much of my time. It can get in the the way of practices for after school activities or anything else. If I have a basketball game after school, it usually gets in the way of it. An alternate of homework could be playing a game based on the test or going over questions in class. Homework can be both helpful, and a waste of time.

<span style="color: #808080; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">12. Do you feel that your parents 'get' you or don't understand you at all? What makes you think this? Explain.

<span style="color: #808080; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">13. 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?

<span style="color: #808080; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">14. 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.

<span style="color: #808080; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">15. 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".

<span style="color: #808080; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">16. 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?