Thanks Jayesh! I will look into that.
I should note that i DO know the answers to questions 2 and 4 but not the other 3, without looking it up.
I started reading one of the training guides for the certification exam but was having a lot of difficulty. I would read it and feel like I understood it ... and then fail the end of chapter quizzes quite dramatically. It was getting really frustrating so I set out to get some real java practice instead (I learn by doing, not by just reading). That's where I found codingbat.com and went through the entire site (almost done). And I know it's basic java ... but it doesn't teach me things like hashmap and the difference between new and literal strings. I might KNOW that ... but I don't know the appropriate vocabulary. Does that make sense at all??
I have not tried creating anything myself. I'd be happy to take suggestions as to what to create that may be a good beginner project.
I would also LOVE a book that comes with explanations AND then quizzes your understanding of that information by making you code stuff. That is absolutely a book that would be perfect for me if you happen to know of one.