Reading Check and Short Answer questions on key plot points are designed for guided reading assignments, in-class review, formative assessment, quizzes, and more.

Chapters 1-5

Reading Check

1. What organization does Vince’s family belong to?

2. Who teaches Vince what he must do on his date with Angela?

3. What business did Vince and his brother believe his family ran?

4. Who is assigned to Tommy to keep him out of trouble?

5. What activity do Vince and Alex decide to join to attract girls?

6. Where do Vince and Tommy attend a party?

7. Whom does Vince meet at Tommy’s apartment?

8. What does Kendra’s father do for a living?

Short Answer

Answer each question in at least 1 complete sentence. Incorporate details from the text to support your response.

1. What does Vince discover on his date, and how does it illustrate his frustration with his family?

2. How does Vince’s frustration with his family extend to his extracurricular activities?

3. What is the significance of Vince’s father’s nightly address to “Agent Bite-Me”?

Paired Resource

“The Original Gangster Style Guy”

• This article profiles a predecessor to the gangsters of the New York underworld and his possible influence on their style of dress. (Content Warning: may not be appropriate for all groups; mentions murder and capital punishment)
• Whom does the article credit with the establishment of a common gangster style of dress? How does this relate to the way Vince’s mother wants him to dress preppy? How is this article connected to the novel’s theme of The Power of Appearances and Status Symbols?