The Striker (Gods of the Game Book 1) Quiz

Welcome to the quiz for The Striker by Ana Huang. Test your knowledge of Asher, Scarlett, Vincent, and the story’s key moments. Answers are at the bottom.

Questions

Plot & Sequence (1–8)

1. What happens in the final seconds of the Premier League match in Chapter 1?

A) Vincent scores the winning goal.
B) Holchester steals the ball because Vincent hesitates to pass to Asher.
C) Asher scores but the goal is disallowed.
D) The match ends in a draw.

2. As punishment for losing the final, Coach Armstrong orders Asher and Vincent to:

A) Run extra laps every morning
B) Spend the offseason cross-training at the Royal Academy of Ballet
C) Apologize to the team in a press conference
D) Transfer to a different club

3. Where does Scarlett first meet Asher before knowing who he is?

A) At the ballet academy
B) At a pub, where Asher spills beer on her
C) At her brother’s flat
D) At a charity gala

4. What causes Scarlett to collapse and faint in Chapter 9?

A) She has a panic attack during training.
B) She bangs her hip while chasing an intruder, triggering severe nerve pain.
C) She suffers from heat exhaustion.
D) She faints when she sees a paparazzo.

5. Asher and Scarlett’s intimate bath scene in Chapter 33 is interrupted by:

A) A phone call from Sloane
B) A fire alarm
C) Vincent arriving at Scarlett’s door
D) A paparazzo breaking in

6. Asher is rushed to the hospital after a car crash caused by:

A) A drunk driver
B) Bocci deliberately ramming him during an illegal street race
C) A malfunction in his vintage Jaguar
D) A paparazzo chasing him

7. What grand gesture does Asher make to prove he has changed in Chapter 53?

A) He publicly apologizes to Vincent.
B) He gives away all his luxury cars.
C) He buys Scarlett a new ballet studio.
D) He quits football and moves to Paris.

8. How does the Premier League finale conclude in Epilogue #2?

A) Blackcastle loses on a penalty shootout.
B) Asher scores a winning header in the final seconds.
C) The match is cancelled due to a storm.
D) Vincent scores an own goal.

Character Motivation (9–13)

9. Why did Asher transfer from Holchester to Blackcastle?

A) He wanted a higher salary.
B) He wanted to escape his father’s relentless pressure.
C) He had a falling out with the coach.
D) He wanted to be closer to his childhood home.

10. What is the main reason Scarlett breaks up with Asher after his crash?

A) She no longer loves him.
B) She discovers he lied about his friendship with Teddy.
C) He breaks his promise not to race again, proving he hasn’t changed.
D) Vincent forbids her from seeing him.

11. Why does Vincent resent Asher so deeply?

A) Asher stole his sponsorship deals.
B) Asher scored a goal against Vincent’s team in the World Cup.
C) Vincent faked an injury in the World Cup semifinal, leading to Asher’s red card and England’s loss.
D) Vincent believes Asher is a bad influence on his sister.

12. Why does Scarlett have a rule against dating footballers before she meets Asher?

A) She dated a footballer who dumped her right after her accident and started dating someone else weeks later.
B) Her father always warned her against footballers.
C) She never liked sports.
D) Vincent threatened to cut off contact if she dated his teammate.

13. What deeper emotion drives Asher’s reckless street racing habit?

A) A desire for adrenaline
B) Survivor’s guilt over his best friend Teddy’s death
C) Anger at his father
D) Boredom during the off-season

Theme & Symbol (14–17)

14. What does Scarlett’s “Justice for Pluto” T‑shirt symbolize throughout the novel?

A) Her love of astronomy
B) Her refusal to let others define her identity or worth
C) A joke between her and Asher with no deeper meaning
D) Her longing for a simpler life

15. The private ballet studio Asher builds at his mansion represents:

A) His wealth and status
B) A safe, private space where trust and intimacy can grow between him and Scarlett
C) A way to control Scarlett’s schedule
D) A gift to impress Vincent

16. The word “Judas” scratched into Asher’s vintage Jaguar symbolizes:

A) The media’s betrayal of Asher
B) The public’s perception that Asher betrayed Holchester when he transferred
C) Vincent’s hatred of Asher
D) Asher’s own guilt

17. Scarlett’s fear of performing at Westbury Theatre represents:

A) Stage fright common to all dancers
B) Her refusal to confront the trauma of the accident that ended her ballet career
C) Her dislike of The Nutcracker
D) A practical concern about the theatre’s acoustics

Synthesis (18–20)

18. (Short answer) Compare how Asher and Scarlett each cope with trauma. How do their strategies differ?

19. (Short answer) Describe the evolution of the rivalry between Asher and Vincent from the start of the novel to the epilogue.

20. (Short answer) What does the Blackcastle Book Club’s choice of a dinosaur erotic novel reveal about the team’s dynamic and camaraderie?

Answer Key

1. B – Holchester steals the ball because Vincent hesitates to pass (Chapter 1).
2. B – Coach orders them to cross-train at the ballet academy (Chapter 1).
3. B – Asher spills beer on Scarlett at the pub; he later recognizes her at the academy (Chapter 3).
4. B – Scarlett bangs her hip, causing severe nerve pain that leads to a faint (Chapter 9).
5. C – Vincent arrives at Scarlett’s door, interrupting the bath (Chapter 33).
6. B – Bocci rams Asher during an illegal street race (Chapter 47).
7. B – Asher gives away every car to prove he has changed (Chapter 53).
8. B – Asher scores the winning header in the final seconds (Epilogue #2).
9. B – Asher transfers to escape his father’s pressure (Chapter 25).
10. C – Asher races again, breaking his promise and losing her trust (Chapter 51).
11. C – Vincent’s dive caused Asher’s red card, costing England the World Cup (Chapters 26, 46).
12. A – Her ex-boyfriend Rafael abandoned her after her accident (Chapter 32).
13. B – Survivor’s guilt over Teddy’s death drives his recklessness (Chapter 53).
14. B – The T‑shirt reflects Scarlett’s refusal to be defined by others (e.g., Chapter 26).
15. B – The studio is a private haven where their relationship deepens (Chapter 11).
16. B – The vandalism reflects public betrayal over his transfer to Blackcastle (Chapter 44).
17. B – Westbury is linked to her trauma from the accident that ended her career (Chapter 35).
18. Asher self-destructs through racing and impulsiveness, bottling his guilt. Scarlett hides her pain, avoids performing, and keeps secrets. Only by facing their traumas together do they heal. 19. Initially they despise each other over the World Cup incident and clash in training. After the hospital reveal, they fight but reconcile. By the epilogue, they share a truce, respect, and even a book club. 20. The team’s willingness to read a ridiculous dinosaur erotica novel together shows they can laugh, bond, and set aside egos, strengthening their unity beyond the pitch.