By Todd Strasser

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Born in New York City on May 5 (he doesn’t reveal his year of birth)
Studied at NYU for a few years before dropping out.
He is the author of more than 120 young adult books.

Odd Facts about Strasser
- Lived on a commune
- Performed as a street musician in
Europe
- Manufactured fortune cookies professionally

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Abutments: (noun) the part of a structure (as an arch or a bridge) that directly receives thrust or pressure
Awestruck: (adj) filled with awe
Pliant: (adj) easily influenced; yielding
Smirk: (verb) to smile in an affected or smug manner

Rising Action – the part of the plot that moves the story forward; everything that leads up to the climax
Initiating event – the event that makes everything else in the story happen; can happen before the story begins
Exposition – the beginning of the story; include the setting, characters, backgrounds, mood and tone
Climax - the turning point or the point of highest interest; usually toward the end of the story
Falling Action – the part of the plot that occurs after the climax
Resolution – how the story ends; how everything turns out

Directions: Use the following plot events from “On the Bridge” to fill in your plot rollercoaster. You will have to fill in the exposition on your own.
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Adam talks about “beating the crap” out of a guy at the mall.
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Adam waves to a convertible full of girls.
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Adam acts like he is going to throw something and nearly causes a woman to have an accident.

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Adam flicks his cigarette onto a black car.
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Three guys that were in the black car stop on the bridge, and begin to harass Adam and Seth.
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Adam points to Seth when the three guys ask who flicked the cigarette.

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The three guys tell Seth to lick the cigarette ash off the windshield.
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Seth refuses to lick the ash off the windshield, and the “husky” guy pounds his face into the windshield, nearly breaking his nose.

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Adam says the other guys had a knife on him so he couldn’t help
Seth.
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Seth doesn’t believe Adam’s story about the knife.
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Seth throws away his blood-stained jacket.

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Rising Action –
Adam talks about beating up a guy at the mall.
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Adam waves at a convertible full of girls.
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Adam acts like he is going to throw something
• and nearly causes a woman to have an accident.
Adam flicks his cigarette onto the windshield of
• a black car.
Three guys in the black car get out at the bridge
• and start harassing Adam and Seth.
Adam points to Seth when the guys ask who
• flicked the cigarette.
The three guys tell Seth to lick the ash off the windshield.
Climax - Seth refuses to lick the ash off the windshield and gets his face smashed
Falling Action –
•Adam says the other guys had a knife.
•Seth doesn’t believe him.
Exposition – on a bridge on a spring day; Characters include Adam, Seth and the three goons; the mood is serious
Resolution – Seth throws away his bloodstained jacket.