Q 01/05

What is Philip Malloy doing during the national anthem that gets him suspended in Avi's Nothing but the Truth?

A) Whistling loudly

B) Humming along

C) Tapping his desk

D) Chewing gum

Answer · why

B) Humming along

Humming along broke a rule that students stand silent while the recording played, and Philip kept it up for three mornings. His suspension then became...

Q 02/05

What does Philip Malloy tearfully admit at his new school at the end of Nothing but the Truth?

A) He doesn't know the words

B) He misses his old teacher

C) He lied all along

D) He hates the song

Answer · why

A) He doesn't know the words

He doesn't know the words, he says, when his new teacher invites him to lead the national anthem. Avi says many readers get angry at that last line, w...

Q 03/05

In which New England state is Harrison High, the school at the center of Avi's Nothing but the Truth, located?

A) Vermont

B) Connecticut

C) Massachusetts

D) New Hampshire

Answer · why

D) New Hampshire

New Hampshire is home to the invented town of Harrison, though Avi took the idea from a real small-town uproar he had read about in a news story.

Q 04/05

Which step, refused by Philip Malloy, would have spared him a suspension in Avi's Nothing but the Truth?

A) Serve a lunch detention

B) Sign a behavior contract

C) Apologize to his teacher

D) Bring in his parents

Answer · why

C) Apologize to his teacher

An offer to apologize to his teacher was on the table, but Philip turned it down and was sent home for two days. The rules demanded it after two trips...

Q 05/05

Which motive does Philip Malloy claim for making noise during the national anthem in Nothing but the Truth?

A) Love of music

B) Family tradition

C) Religious belief

D) Patriotism

Answer · why

D) Patriotism

Patriotism is the reason he gives at school and again at home, where his parents believe him and urge him to stand up for his rights.