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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 portion of substance abusers are depressed?

2. What playwright is quoted at the beginning of Alternatives?

3. How much more likely are men to commit suicide than women?

4. In the offspring of depressed mothers, earliest childhood depression is found in children as young as what age?

5. Before his third breakdown, how many therapists did Solomon see in six weeks?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why is Solomon's stage of half-recovery described in "Breakdowns" the most dangerous?

2. How did Phaly Noun help depressed women?

3. Why is it thought that depressed people may have better judgment than healthy people?

4. What possible new depression treatments are being researched?

5. How do opiates affect the body?

6. Why is it important for people on medications to remain on them and not cycle on and off?

7. Why is a depressive more likely to become addicted to alcohol than a person who is not depressed?

8. Why should depressed people avoid bad arguments and feelings of outrage?

9. What role do diet and exercise play in treating depression?

10. What affect does Solomon think stress has on depression?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

What is Maggie's role in the book? How does Solomon use her as an example? What might he admire about her? Why is her religious faith important?

Essay Topic 2

Solomon often uses references from literature to emphasize the points he makes about depression. Cite three instances where he refers to literature and explain their significance. Do these references help you see his point?

Essay Topic 3

Explore Solomon's passive suicide attempt. Why does he want to die? Why does he go about his attempt in a passive way? What does Solomon's desire to obtain AIDS as a means to death say about him?

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