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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. What does Mrs. Smith ask the Fire Chief to do?

2. Who is Mary?

3. What city do the Martin's have in common?

4. What type of stories does the Fire Chief tell?

5. According to Mrs. Martin, when can one sit down in a chair?

Short Essay Questions

1. How did Mary spend her day before the Martins arrive?

2. How is Realism used in the play?

3. Describe Mary.

4. Describe the plot and the moral behind the story, "The Dog and the Cow."

5. What is the significance of the Martins beginning the play at the end of the drama?

6. What point is Ionesco attempting to make about conversation?

7. Describe the setting of the play.

8. What drama unfolds as the Martins wait for the Smiths?

9. What is the purpose of the meaningless banter among the characters?

10. What topic begins the conversation of the play?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

How are situations from daily life incorporated into the play? How does Ionesco use the setting of the play to create the illusion of reality? How does the setting of the play affect the dialogue and action?

Essay Topic 2

What coincidences exist in the play? How are coincidences used to create humor? List at three specific incidents involving coincidences and discuss how each scene supports the theme of the play.

Essay Topic 3

Which characters from the play appear to be "imaginary?" What is the purpose of describing these nonexistent characters? How do the characters who are not physically present in the play affect the dialogue and action?

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