Quiz The Crash Freida McFadden

The Crash Quiz: Test Your Knowledge

Think you know every twist of Freida McFadden’s thriller The Crash? This 20‑question quiz spans the entire book—from the Prologue to the Epilogue—covering plot sequence, character motivations, themes and symbols, plus a few synthesis challenges. If you need a refresher first, visit our full summary or ending explained. And for deeper discussion, check the questions and answers page.

Quiz

Plot and Sequence (8 questions)

  1. Place these events in chronological order (choose the correct sequence):
    A. Tegan stabs Polly’s hand with a fork.
    B. Polly gives Tegan Benadryl.
    C. Hank rescues Tegan to the hospital.
    D. Tegan starts a fire in the basement.

    • a) B, A, D, C
    • b) A, B, D, C
    • c) D, B, A, C
    • d) B, D, A, C

  2. What triggers Tegan’s memory of being raped by Simon?

    • a) Seeing his photo in a magazine
    • b) Smelling his cologne during the contract meeting
    • c) A nightmare about her brother’s accident
    • d) Polly’s mention of a former patient

  3. Which character does Polly impersonate to order antibiotics and a blood thinner? (Short answer)

  4. Who sabotaged Tegan’s car before the crash?

    • a) Simon Lamar
    • b) Jackson Bruckner
    • c) Dennis Werner
    • d) Mitch Hambly

  5. What is the name of the neglected neighbor girl Polly tries to help?

    • a) Angela
    • b) Sadie
    • c) Chloe
    • d) Tia

  6. What does Tegan use to try to set off a smoke detector in the basement?

    • a) A match and a piece of cloth
    • b) A lighter and a magazine picture
    • c) A candle and a paper towel
    • d) A firelighter and a newspaper

  7. Why does Hank kill Mitch Hambly? (Short answer)

  8. What name does Tegan give her baby daughter?

    • a) Tuna Marie
    • b) Tia Marie Werner
    • c) Sadie Marie
    • d) Angelina Marie

Character Motivation (5 questions)

  1. Why does Tegan initially refuse to sign the non‑disclosure agreement with Simon?

    • a) She wants more money
    • b) She remembers that Simon drugged and raped her
    • c) Her brother Dennis advises her not to
    • d) She doesn’t want to move away

  2. What is Polly’s primary motivation for keeping Tegan captive?

    • a) Revenge against Hank
    • b) She believes Tegan is an unfit mother and wants the baby for herself
    • c) She wants money from Simon
    • d) She needs help with chores

  3. Why does Dennis betray Tegan by sabotaging her car? (Short answer)

  4. Why does Jackson help Tegan after she is rescued?

    • a) He is paid by Simon to keep her quiet
    • b) He feels guilty for not believing her and has found another victim of Simon
    • c) He wants to adopt her baby
    • d) He is a police informant

  5. At the last second, what prevents Polly from smashing Tegan’s kneecap with a hammer?

    • a) Hank walks in
    • b) Tegan wakes up and screams
    • c) Polly sees Tegan’s young face and remembers her nursing oath
    • d) The police arrive

Theme and Symbol (4 questions)

  1. What does the teddy bear represent for Polly? (Short answer)

  2. Which theme is most central to the epilogue of The Crash?

    • a) Revenge
    • b) Moral compromise and secrecy
    • c) Justice through the legal system
    • d) The triumph of motherhood

  3. The car crash itself is symbolic of what?

    • a) A new beginning
    • b) Loss of control and the shattering of Tegan’s plans
    • c) Punishment for her past actions
    • d) Freedom from Simon

  4. What does Tegan’s gold lighter (a gift from Jackson) come to symbolize?

    • a) Her trust in Jackson
    • b) A tool of escape and a glimmer of hope
    • c) Simon’s wealth
    • d) Polly’s greed

Synthesis (3 questions)

  1. How does the Author’s Note at the beginning relate to the novel’s themes?

    • a) It warns the reader that the story contains graphic sexual content
    • b) It establishes a family‑friendly promise that contrasts with the dark rape and captivity plot
    • c) It reveals the ending
    • d) It asks readers to review the book

  2. Compare Tegan’s and Polly’s motivations. In what key way are they similar? (Short answer)

  3. The epilogue shows that both Tegan (concealing Polly’s identity) and Sadie (keeping silent about Mitch’s murder) choose secrecy. What effect does this have on the novel’s message?

    • a) It suggests that justice always prevails
    • b) It argues that personal loyalty can override legal truth
    • c) It proves that secrets are always destructive
    • d) It shows that the characters learned nothing

Answer Key

  1. a) B, A, D, C – Polly drugs Tegan (Ch. 28), Tegan stabs Polly’s hand (Ch. 35), Tegan starts a fire (Ch. 42–44), Hank rescues her (Ch. 58).

  2. b) Smelling his cologne – In Chapter 5, the scent triggers the repressed memory of the assault.

  3. Dr. Chloe Passaro – Polly impersonates a doctor to order medication (Ch. 57).

  4. c) Dennis Werner – Tegan’s brother sabotaged her car on Simon’s orders (Ch. 66).

  5. b) Sadie – The neglected girl from the Hambly family (Ch. 20).

  6. b) A lighter and a magazine picture – She uses the lighter from Jackson to ignite a picture of Jennifer Aniston (Ch. 42).

  7. To protect Sadie from her abusive father – Hank kills Mitch after seeing Sadie’s black‑and‑blue face; he fears Mitch will take out his anger on her (Epilogue, Ch. 72).

  8. b) Tia Marie Werner – Named after her “Little Tuna” nickname (Ch. 69).

  9. b) She remembers that Simon drugged and raped her – The memory surfaces when Simon leans close (Ch. 5–6).

  10. b) She believes Tegan is an unfit mother and wants the baby for herself – Polly’s infertility and desperate maternal desire drive the captivity (Ch. 26–28).

  11. He resents Tegan for the accident that ended his skiing career, and Simon threatened to cancel their business deal (Ch. 66).

  12. b) He feels guilty for not believing her and has found another victim of Simon – Jackson helps Tegan after learning the truth (Ch. 66).

  13. c) Polly sees Tegan’s young face and remembers her nursing oath – She lowers the hammer (Ch. 54).

  14. The teddy bear represents Polly’s grief over infertility and her desperate hope for a child – It appears in Chapters 25, 27, and 47.

  15. b) Moral compromise and secrecy – Both Tegan and Sadie keep secrets to protect found family (Epilogue).

  16. b) Loss of control and the shattering of Tegan’s plans – The crash destroys her escape and leaves her at the mercy of strangers.

  17. b) A tool of escape and a glimmer of hope – Tegan uses the lighter to start the fire (Ch. 42); it also reminds her of Jackson’s possible betrayal.

  18. b) It establishes a family‑friendly promise that contrasts with the dark rape and captivity plot – The Author’s Note claims no graphic violence or sex, yet the novel deals with rape and psychological captivity.

  19. Both are driven by fierce maternal instinct—Tegan to protect her baby, Polly to obtain a baby.

  20. b) It argues that personal loyalty can override legal truth – Despite the crimes, the characters protect each other based on deeper bonds (Epilogue).

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