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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 Clay remember about the night he and his sisters were in Palm Springs?

2. What types of comments make Clay perk up at his psychiatrist visit?

3. What matters most to Clay about having lunch with his father?

4. Who approaches Clay as he is waiting for Julian to arrive at their agreed upon location?

5. Who is at Clay's mother's house when he arrives from the airport?

Short Essay Questions

1. What do Clay and Blair discuss while at lunch? What does Blair do a few days after she has lunch with Clay?

2. Why does Clay go to the Roxy? Why is Rip upset while at the club?

3. What do Clay and Rip encounter while on Mulholland Drive? What does it remind them of?

4. What images stick in Clay's head after he hears a particular song while in Los Angeles on vacation?

5. What happens when Clay and Julian meet Finn at a night club?

6. What happens to Clay when he leaves Spago to go to the club After Hours with Blair and Trent?

7. What does Clay do when he arrives home? Why does he do this?

8. Describe the scene of the party that Clay attends with Trent at the start of Part 2. What happens at the party? Who is at the party?

9. Why do Clay, Rip, and Trent go to Dead's house? What do they do after they leave Dead's house?

10. What does Clay do over the next few days following Blair's Christmas Party? Who does he visit?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

How does the title of the novel, Less Than Zero, represent the story in the book? What does the title of the novel say about the characters? Please use specific examples from the book.

Essay Topic 2

How does Clay change over the course of the novel? What differences are noticeable at the of the novel? How does Clay show these differences? Why do you think Clay has changed? Please use specific examples from the book.

Essay Topic 3

Why does Julian continuously have flashbacks of his life in Palm Springs? Why do these flashbacks seem to always focus on his grandmother and grandfather? Provide at least two reasons for each question and explain your reasons. Please use specific examples from the book.

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