Looking for Alaska

Multiple Choice and Long Answer questions create ideal opportunities for whole-text review, unit exam, or summative assessments.

Multiple Choice

1. Which best summarizes the symbolism of the labyrinth?

A) The labyrinth represents the complications of life.

B) It symbolizes friendship, with all its ups and downs.

C) Boarding school and changes parallel the labyrinth.

D) It warns which paths to follow and which to avoid.

2. Which of the following scenes most builds the theme of friendship?

A) Miles’s going-away party

B) Miles first meeting Alaska

C) Barn Night at Culver Creek

D) Dr. Hyde’s final exam

3. Which of the following best describes Miles’s initial reaction to meeting Alaska?

A) Miles is annoyed by Alaska’s nonstop talking.

B) Miles thinks Alaska is ok but not very interesting.

C) Miles is in awe of how beautiful Alaska is and her books.

D) Miles likes listening to her singing and watching her dancing.

4. When the Weekday Warriors play a prank on Miles soon after he arrives, how does the Colonel’s reaction change the next day?

A) At first, the Colonel is furious, but eventually he accepts it as just a part of Culver Creek.

B) He is nonchalant until he realizes Miles actually could have been hurt, then vows revenge.

C) He sees the humor in it when he is involved and becomes angry when he realizes his part has been deleted.

D) The Colonel tries to uncover the motivation behind the prank for a while, but he shrugs the next day and is no longer interested.

5. What does the Colonel’s cheer at the basketball game reveal about his character?

A) He truly enjoys cheering, dance, and gymnastics.

B) Basketball is one of his favorite pastimes.

C) Entertaining others bothers him.

D) He has a sense of humor and mischief.

6. How does Dr. Hyde kicking Miles out of class reinforce his class lessons?

A) Dr. Hyde teaches to turn your back on those not following your ideas, so removing Miles demonstrates this lesson.

B) In Dr. Hyde’s class, nature is more important than writing, and he asks Miles to go out and breathe.

C) By asking him to leave when he was not paying attention, Dr. Hyde reminds Miles to be present in his life.

D) When Miles starts a fight, Dr. Hyde tells him to leave, explaining again the value of nonviolence.

7. What does Alaska’s name choice reveal about her?

A) Alaska wants to stay far from her hometown.

B) She aspires to be an artist one day.

C) Alaska’s name is not a part of her identity.

D) She is fascinated by geography.

8. Which literary strategy does this quotation incorporate?

“The Colonel ran ahead of me, gleeful at his ejection, and I jogged after him, trailing in his wake. I wanted to be one of those people who have streaks to maintain, who scorch the ground with their intensity. But for now, at least I knew such people, and they needed me, just like comets need tails.” (Chapter 7)

A) Pun

B) Foreshadowing

C) Alliteration

D) Simile

9. Which of the following best characterizes Lara?

A) Kind, strong, understanding

B) Friendly to everyone but Miles

C) Unreliable but very humorous and fun

D) Courageous and always follows the rules

10. What event most symbolizes “the Great Perhaps?”

A) The Weekday Warriors throwing Miles in the lake

B) The Eagle conducting the Jury

C) The Colonel memorizing country capitals

D) Miles going to Culver Creek

11. How does the prank at Speaker Day honor Alaska?

A) The Eagle carried out the prank even though it broke some rules, speaking to how much Alaska influenced him.

B) The Weekday Warriors followed the instructions that the Colonel and Takumi wrote down and Kevin yelled it was for Alaska.

C) The speaker knew Alaska and helped the entire class complete the prank, releasing balloons with her name on them at the end.

D) Alaska’s friends complete a plan she thought of, for her, focusing on disrupting sexism, a topic she cared about.

12. Why does Takumi wait to tell Miles and the Colonel he saw Alaska before she died?

A) Takumi did not remember talking to her that day.

B) Miles told Takumi he did not want to talk about that day.

C) The Colonel brought up a hurtful memory, so Takumi avoided them.

D) Takumi was upset that the Colonel and Miles were avoiding him.

13. How does the letter Takumi leaves at the end of the school year affect Miles?

A) Takumi’s letter angers Miles, who refuses to talk with him.

B) Miles realizes forgiveness is key and wants to tell Takumi.

C) After reading the letter, Miles is filled with joy.

D) The letter leads Miles to wish he had never gone to Culver Creek.

14. What mood best describes this quotation from a conversation between Alaska and Miles?

“She turned away from me, and softly, maybe to herself, said, ‘Jesus, I’m not going to be one of those people who sits around talking about what they’re gonna do. I’m just going to do it. Imagining the future is a kind of nostalgia.’” (Chapter 10)

A) Determined and judgmental

B) Uncertain and confused

C) Sad and unwelcoming

D) Demanding and angry

15. When heading home for the summer, how is Miles different from when he first arrived at Culver Creek?

A) Miles is more cautious and spends more time alone.

B) Miles cares more about his hometown.

C) Miles has stronger friendships and a larger worldview.

D) Miles decides to travel more and write a book.

Long Answer

Compose a response of 2-3 sentences, incorporating textual details to support your response.

1. Why does Miles go to Culver Creek?

2. The novel ends on what tone?