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Comprehension Questions

Chapter 1-4
1. Write a short paragraph using words from the vocabulary list.
Adolf Hitler was a fanatic dictator and the leader of Nazi Germany from 1933 until his suicide in
1945. Hitler was responsible for starting World War II and for killing more than 11 million people
during the Holocaust. Hitler believed he was superior and the ones that did not agree or were
Jewish were inferior so they were sent to concentration camps. In the concentration camps the
prisoners were disciplined for their indoctrination. These camps were maintained by the fascist
Nazis and held around 45 000 prisoners, between 1939 and 142 the number of camps increased
to about 300. Because of the large amount of people in the concentration camps the Nazis
created extermination camps for a mass execution. Hitler would dominate the Nazis so they
would feel inferior and obey him to save their own lives.

2. Explain what the film that Ben showed his History class was about. (pg9-10)
they were studying World War Two, and the film Ben Ross was showing his class was a
documentary depicting the atrocities the Nazis committed in their concentration camps. In the
darkened classroom the class stared at the movie screen. They saw emaciated men and woman
starved so severely that they appeared to be skeletons covered in skin. Peoples who widest
parts of their body were their knee joints.
They could see the gas chambers now, and piles of bodies laid out like stove wood. The human
skeletons still alive had the gruesome task of stacking the dead bodies under the watching eye of
the Nazi soldiers.

3. How does Laurie Saunders feel about the film? (p14 and 18) Why do you
think that she feels like this?
Laurie Saunders has many feelings about this film, but is mostly appalled by the actions of the
Nazis. She was sickened by the film and she couldnt understand how people could do horrible
things like that.

4. Why does Ben Ross decide to try an experiment on his History class? (p26-
27)
Ben Ross decided to try the experiment because there were questions asked by his history class
that he could not give adequate answers and that bothered him.

5. Explain the way that different people react to Ben Ross. (How do they
perceive him?)
Find a quote from the novel to support your answer.
- His students
- His colleagues
- His wife, Christy
In Ben Rosss history class he is appreciated by many of his students, as he is so dedicated to
teaching that he makes class fun.
Bens students spoke of his intensity the way he so interested in the topic that they couldnt
help but be interested also. He was contagious, theyd say meaning that he was charismatic. He
could get through to them. Page 5

Bens colleagues are mainly jealous of his dedication and creativity.
Rosss fellow faculty members were somewhat more divided in their feelings towards him.
Some of them were impressed by his energy and dedication and creativity. It was said that he
brought a new outlook to his classes, that, whenever possible, he tried to teach the practical,
relevant aspects of history.
But other faculty members were more sceptical about Ben, some said he was just young, nave,
and over-zealous, that after a few years he would calm down and start conducting classes the
right way lots of reading, weekly quizzes, classroom lectures. Others simply said they didnt
like the way he never wore a suit and tie to class. One or two might even admit they were even
admit they were just plain jealous. Page 5



Chapter 5-8
6. Read pages 30 - 38. How does Ben Ross change the way he runs his
lesson?
In the novel Ben Ross changes the way he runs his history class because he wanted to create
an experiment that would help them understand Hitler and the Nazis. His experiment meant
that he would become the leader and his students were to follow him, he called the group
the group The Wave. He created a symbol which became a flag; they had a chant Strength
Through Discipline, Strength Through Community, Strength Through Action. Ben Decided he
would create member cards so that The Wave would stay in their class, although it didnt.
7. How do the changes to History lessons affect Robert? Find a quote to
support your answer. (p33, 35, 38-40, 67-68)
The Robert feel equal to others in his history class, he went from being known as the class
loser to being treated like a normal human being. They all sat together and there were no
more popular people.
At lunch all The Wave members who were in the cafeteria sat at a single long table. Brian,
Brad, Amy, Laurie, and David were there. At first Robert Billings seemed tentative about
joining them, but when David saw him he insisted he sit at the table, telling him they were
all apart of The Wave now. (Page 66)
8. Why does The Wave spread to students outside Ben Ross' History class?
(p46- 50)
Because David believed it would help the football team to work better and win more games.
9. Why is Laurie's mother concerned about The Wave? (p52- 54)
Lauries mother feels different about the wave and thinks it doesnt sound write.
But it doesnt sound like the right thing for you, Laurie. Babe, weve raised you ass an
individual. Hun just remember the popular thing isnt always the right thing.. You dont
think its dangerous to allow a teacher to manipulate student like that? (page 54)
10. Read pages 74-79. Laurie is uncomfortable with the changes to her
History lessons. What do you think she is unhappy about and why? Find a
quote to support your answer.
People are becoming something theyre not and not trying things for themselves and the wave is
becoming too much.
At which they will formally indoctrinate two hundred new members? Mrs Sauder asked
(page 78)



Chapter 9-17

11. Look again at pages (??) What positive and negative effects is The Wave
having on Ben Ross' History class?
Positive Negative
Everyone is considered an equal
Students in the class pay more attention

Theyre were fights in school
People who werent in the wave were
excluded and bullied

12. Use a dictionary to find a definition for:
- fad - an intense and widely shared enthusiasm for something, especially one that is short-
lived; a craze.
- ecstatic - feeling or expressing overwhelming happiness or joyful excitement.
- paranoia - unjustified suspicion and mistrust of other people.
- detrimental - tending to cause harm.
13. Read the story on pages (??) How does this support Laurie's feelings
about The Wave?
Laurie doesnt agree with the wave because it is not giving people the right to agree with
they want and believe in what they want to.
14. Why do you think Ben Ross allows Robert to become his bodyguard?
Ben Ross allows Robert to become his body guard because the power was addicting and he felt good
about how much he was respected by his students.
15. Why do David and Laurie argue? (p )
David and Laurie argue because they disagree on the wave, david thinks that the wave is all good and
laurie thinks that the wave is bad because no one is making their own decisions.
16. Why does Laurie's father become concerned about the effect The Wave is
having on some students? (p)
Lauries father is not as concerned about the wave than lauries mother.
17. What message does Laurie's editorial about The Wave convey? (p??)
The message it conveys is all of the bad things that the wave has portrayed and the stories of what
has happened.
18. How do members of The Wave react to Laurie's editorial?
They are angry with the way she is insulting the Wave, because everyone else has been manipulated
into thinking that the wave is the best and its turning the school into the best.
19. Read pages (??). Why does David finally turn against The Wave?
The reason why David turned against The Wave was it was hurting the girl he really loved. When
Laurie said, I hate you! I hate The Wave! I hate all of you! to David it felt like hard slap in the face.
He then pushed her, roughly, to the ground and he stood there, in fear and shock of what he did. He
regretted that he ever went against Laurie and how he could do something so stupid.
20. What steps does Ben Ross take to end The Wave? Write a short, structured
paragraph 100-150 words discussing:
- The Wave rally that he plans
- The significance of the film that he shows at the rally
- the speech that he makes to The Wave members and the effect is has on
them.

At the wave rally he planned on ending it appropriately to the experiment that he constructed. The
film he shows is the same one he showed his history class when they started learning about WW2. It
was significant because he remembered the affect it had on his students at the start. The speech
that he makes to his class is very detailed and dramatic. He tells them that they were so shocked at
how people could have acted that way yet they could have become Nazis themselves. The speech he
makes has a massive effect in them, especially Robert Billing who was most affected by the wave.


ANALYSIS- For each question, write a short, structured paragraph (100-
150 words)
21. the characters in The Wave are generic "types" (stereotypes) rather
than fully fleshed out characters. Do you agree? Why or why not?
22. How do you feel about the super intense way Ben reveals the truth of
The Wave to his students? Do you think it was appropriate and/or
effective?
23. Would you have joined The Wave?


The first step that Ben Ross takes to stop The Wave is to call everyone to one place which is the
auditorium. He tells the members of The Wave through the school speaker which means he didnt go
to everyone personally. Next, when everyone appears in the auditorium, he puts on a projector and a
picture of Hitler appears on the screen. Ben then explains how The Wave is becoming how Hitler and
the Nazis controlled Nazi Germany. The students then realise what they have been doing and then
snap out of the delusion that they were in. When everything was over, Amy appeared before Laurie
and ran to her crying and apologising for her actions. Brian and Erin come across David and he tells
them to forget but not to forget about what happened over the past days. Ben finds Robert crying near
the stage and encourages him to move on, compliments that he looks good in a suit and takes him to
get something to eat.

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