This document contains chapter summaries and comprehension questions for a book. It does not provide enough contextual information on its own to summarize. The summaries would need to be based on reading the full book chapters.

1. Issues in the World Around Us
Chapter Comprehension Questions.

2. Chapter One
Ranges
‘Self -esteem can be built in many ways.’

3. Diversity
What Happened to Ben at school? Why did it upset him?
How would you describe the way Uncle Rick lives? Do
you know anyone who lives like that?
What does Uncle Rick think has happened to his
computer? Does this seem believable? Why or why not?
What does Ben’s mother want to do that worries Ben?
Why does it worry him so much?
What happened to Uncle Rick’s pigeons? How do you
feel about this?

4. Chapter Two
Life Skills & Management
We all need order in our lives to feel secure

5. Order
Where do you think Ben’s Dad is, and what do you think
has happened to his family? How do you think Ben feels
about this?
Why did Ben feel like his birth had ruined his mother’s
life?
How does Ben look different from his Mum and Uncle
Rick?
What were the two men doing at Uncle Rick’s house?
What was Ben scared he would find as he searched the
house?

6. Chapter Three
Exploring Other Ways To Be
Self-esteem should not rely on the feedback from
others.

7. Alternatives
What clues did Uncle Rick leave for Ben?
What other clues helped Ben figure out Uncle Rick’s
movements and timing?
What do you think Ben means by the ‘what ifs’?
Do you think Uncle Rick was right to leave Ben home
alone? Is this against the law? Why?
Why didn’t Ben just ask the neighbours to feed the cat?
What materials did Ben use to make picture frames to
sell?

8. Chapter Four
What We Really Think
Our self - esteem can be damaged by the attitudes of
others.

9. Attitudes
What had Ben told people about his father when he was
a little boy? Why did he do this?
What kind of food did Ben’s mother usually insist he eat?
Why?
What did Ben buy on the ferry?
Who did he think he heard giggling in the cafeteria?
What made Ben feel sick?
What happened to his walkman and backpack?
What did Ben’s mother promise to wear the first time she
appeared in court?

10. Chapter Five
Helpful or Hindering?
The ‘labels’ others put on us can affect our self-
esteem.

11. Labels
How do the adults in this chapter treat Ben?
What did Ange do to help him - on the ferry and
at Picton? What do you think she is up to?
Where do you think all her money came from?
Why is Ben so worried when he spots The Owl
and The Weasel with the policeman? What do
you think the police symbolise to him?

12. Chapter Six
Making Judgements
Look for the positives beneath stereotypes.

13. Stereotypes
What did Ange’s answer about her age (‘Sixteen in
September) tell you about her?
What slowed the bus from Nelson, so they missed their
connection to Williamstown?
What did Ben tell Ange he’d inherited from his father?
What about Ange? What do their parents have in
common?
What’s so special about Rimu trees?
What did Ben’s mother liken ‘selective logging’ to?
Whose needs was Ange REALLY meeting when she
offered to stick with Ben after the bikie incident?

14. Chapter Seven
Power Dynamics
There is always someone worse off than you.

15. Powerlessness
How does Ben react when he realises Uncle Rick’s tape
is ruined? What ruined it?
Why didn’t Ben want to hitchhike? What did he think his
mother would do if she found out?
What happened to Ange when they accepted the lift with
the man in the ute, and how did Ben rescue her?
What place did Ben picture when he thought of ‘Hell’?
Why?
What had once made Lyell a prosperous town? What do
you think had happened to it?

16. Chapter Eight
What is Truth?
Other people’s assumptions can only hurt us if we let
them,

17. Assumptions
Why was Archie so angry about the logging? Who was
he angry at?
Who did Archie think was controlling logging? Who did he
think should control it?
What does it mean when Ben says Uncle Rick is a
pacifist?
What do you see is the main differences between town
people and country people? What do you base this on?

18. Chapter Nine
Cause and Effect
Deal with your dirt - don’t bury it.

19. Consequences
Why do you think Ange gets away with being so
impulsive?
What does she think when she sees the police cars?
How did Ben finally remember the coded instructions to
the camp?
What did the lady in the dairy say that hinted at some
kind of threat to the protestors?
What did Ange overhear that got her so worried?

20. Chapter Ten
Answering the ‘Call’
Through challenge we can find self-esteem.

21. Challenges
What is a stalactite? Does it grow up from the ground or
down from the ceiling?
When Ange reads the sign aloud for Ben without him
having to ask, what does this tell you about the change in
their relationship?
Why do you think the protestors use codes on their
walkie-talkies?
What do you think ‘Code Red’ means? Where was Uncle
Rick?

22. Chapter Eleven
Who is the Pawn?
You can be a ‘pawn’ to your own self-image.

23. Pressure
Who do you think had grabbed Ben as he ran through
the forest? Why?
Why did the police go into the forest camp and arrest the
protestors? What does it mean to refer to someone as a
‘pawn’?
What did Jinny use her money from her gold nugget to
finance?

24. Chapter Twelve
Personal and Powerful
Taking control of our lives builds self-esteem.

25. Responsibility
How did Sid get Ben into Waimatao? What do you think
Jinny is referring to when she talks about the ‘Trojan
Horse’ on page 110?
What was the building Uncle Rick is hiding in once used
for? Why did Ben suddenly feel like crying when he saw
Uncle Rick?
What is Jeremy Trainor up to? Why does Ben have to get
the disk back to Wellington by Monday morning?

26. Chapter Thirteen
Taking the Lead
Encouraging and appreciating others is a gift everyone
can give.

27. Control
What security measures did Ben have to get through to
escape Waimatao?
What had Jinny managed to find out
Where do you think all her money came from?
Why is Ben so worried when he spots The Owl and The
Weasel with the policeman? What do you think the police
symbolise to him?

28. Chapter Fourteen
Rejecting the role of ‘victim’,
overcoming the fear
Sometimes ‘surviving’ is as good as ‘winning’.

29. Courage
How much did the taxi cost to take Ben
home? Where did he hide the disk once he
got there?
How did the two men get into the house?
What did The Owl try to bribe Ben with? How
did Ben free himself from the handcuffs?

30. Chapter Fifteen
Staking A Claim
You have the power to succeed - trust yourself!

31. Ownership
What was the code word Ben had to ask
the lawyer for? What did it mean? What
was the original purpose of the code
word?
What route did Ben take to reach the
lawyer? What made it difficult? How did
Ben hurt his arm?

32. Chapter Sixteen
Unique and Wonderful
Acknowledge and celebrate your success.

33. Acceptance
Who stayed with Ben at the hospital? Why was Ange
wearing pyjamas?
What happened to Jeremy Trainor after Uncle Rick’s
information came out? How did this save the trees? How
did Ange get out of jail in Westport?
What did Con bring to the hospital with him? What is
Uncle Rick’s favourite phrase?

34. Epilogue
Celebrate your strengths - you have arrived!

35. Wholeness
How does Ben feel about his mother marrying Con?
What does he think about Con now?
Where was the wedding taking place? What time of day
was it?
How did Ben feel about giving a speech? What was the
main message in it? Why did his mother cry? How did
Ben feel when Ange arrived?