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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 do the two of them do?

2. In the poem 'Going Wodwo' why does the narrator give up his shirt, book, coat, and life?

3. Why was Amelia on her way to Lord Falconmere's house?

4. What does the old man tell Amelia she will find in the house?

5. To whom are the detective and the narrator taken to see after they have looked at the crime scene?

Short Essay Questions

1. In 'Bitter Grounds' why does the man become a demon?

2. Describe the character of Mr. Alice.

3. Describe the character of Miss Finch.

4. Why does the narrator see a Haitian coffee girl at the end of the story?

5. Do you think the gypsy woman in 'The Flints of Memory Lane' is a ghost? Did the boy imagine it all?

6. In the last story in 'Strange Little Girls,' two alternate stories are offered about a woman who lived during the war. Which one offers the happier ending?

7. Why is November upset at the end of the story, and how does October cheer him up?

8. Why do you think the double bass allows him to play beautiful music this one time?

9. In your opinion, what was Miss Finch's wish? Was it granted by the cabinet?

10. Who tells the story about the playhouse in 'Closing Time,' and what evidence is there that this person is the storyteller?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the theme of identity in 'October in the Chair,' 'The Facts in the Case of the Departure of Miss Finch,' 'Strange Little Girls,' and 'Harlequin Valentine.'

Essay Topic 2

Discuss characterization in two of the stories or poems in the collection. How has the author communicated what the characters are like, and how does he create sympathy for them? Do the characters act consistently? Do they seem like real people?

Essay Topic 3

What is the meaning of the playhouse in the story 'Closing Time?' Is it evil? Does it represent or symbolize anything?

(see the answer keys)

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