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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. Who does Cecilia want to avoid in the kitchen, causing her to have to go to the fountain for water?

2. What does Emily need to don in order to go to see Briony and to comfort her?

3. Who is the older sister of Emily that she describes as precocious and scheming?

4. Where does Briony decide she will wait until some real event takes place?

5. Who is the friend of Cecilia's brother that is coming to visit?

Short Essay Questions

1. What are some of the things that Robbie's tiny office contains?

2. What is the name of the play Briony has been trying to prepare for a few days?

3. What does Briony think she should have done for her brother, Leon's, return?

4. For what does Robbie type a letter to Cecilia as an apology?

5. Why is Lola embarrassed by Marshall?

6. What does Cecilia do in order to brighten up the guestroom for Paul Marshall, a friend of her brother's?

7. Who pronounces the unthinkable word, "divorce?"

8. What does Cecilia's father disapprove of which she does in spite of this disapproval?

9. What is Briony's reaction to her big brother when he approaches her?

10. What has fallen into disrepair, according to the narrative in this section?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The idea of a letter becomes an important plot point at several times in this story.

Part 1: List three instances in which a letter delivers an important message.

Part 2: Are there any instances in which a letter is used for a positive purpose? What are they?

Part 3: In today's times, could these messages be delivered by e-mail? Or is the structure of the letter crucial to its value and its worth? Does the actual format of the letter add to the meaning?

Essay Topic 2

The tragedy of Briony becomes all the more disturbing when the reader finds out she has an illness at the end of the story.

Part 1: What is the illness of Briony at the end of this book?

Part 2: What does this illness seem to say about the idea of memories?

Part 3: What might this illness be symbolic of within the context of the story? In other words, what might this illness seem to say about the idea of memory and about holding onto one's memories?

Essay Topic 3

The library scene between Robbie and Cecilia is one that can shock readers, while also causing them to learn more about these two characters and their feelings for each other.

Part 1: Why do you think this scene was narrated by Robbie instead of Cecilia?

Part 2: How did you feel about Robbie before the scene? After the scene?

Part 3: How does this scene show the true feelings between these two characters?

(see the answer keys)

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