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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 are Philip and Janet Yancey?

2. What is beginning to bud in the late 1970s in the Christian community?

3. What style of government does the religious right seem to want?

4. When do Lyla and Mel decide to separate?

5. Who is Gary Nixon?

Short Essay Questions

1. Who was Michael Piazza, and what did he offer White?

2. What does Wright find confusing at first when he is at the new cathedral in Dallas?

3. Where does White take his family in the summer of 1979, and how does he feel about the time spent there with Lyla?

4. What do Lyla and Mel finally do? How do the children respond?

5. Describe White's experience with Tom Montgomery.

6. What does Mel say that the religious right increasingly claimed and what was one of those claims?

7. Why does White decide to accept Piazza's offer?

8. What was Mel White determined to do after the end of his relationship with Tom?

9. What does White say about working with Falwell on the book, If I Should Die Before I Wake?

10. Why does White write a letter to Falwell? What is Falwell's response?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Most people are a mixture of admirable traits and character flaws, and both Mel White and Jerry Falwell are no exceptions.

1. Trace and analyze situations when White and Falwell each demonstrates his admirable traits. Give specific examples to illustrate your analysis.

2. Trace and analyze both White and Falwell's character flaws, and explain how the flaws create the conflicts in the book. How do you think either man's character flaws make some situations more difficult for him?

3. After analyzing each man's strengths and weaknesses, decide if each man is an appropriate "hero" of the story. Is there anyone else who might be a more admirable "hero"?

Essay Topic 2

Gossip and rumors are found throughout Something Wonderful. Discuss the following:

1. What is one piece of gossip that you think is started maliciously? Who starts it? Why? Does it end up harming the person it is intended to harm? Why or why not? What effect does the gossip have on the person the gossip is about? What effect does the gossip have on one other character?

2. What is one piece of gossip that you think is started intentionally to help someone? Who starts it? Why? Does it end up helping or harming the person it is intended to help? Explain. What effect does the gossip have on the person the gossip is about? What effect does the gossip have on one other character?

3. Trace and analyze the theme of gossip as it is woven throughout Something Wonderful. Is the gossip always harmful? What are the motivations of those who start and perpetuate the gossip? What are the effects of the gossip?

4. Why do you think people gossip?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the following:

1. What is a plot? What are the most important elements of a plot and their definition? Does non-fiction have a plot? Why or why not?

2. Write a brief synopsis of the plot of Stranger at the Gate, identifying where the various elements of the plot occur (Exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, resolution or denouement). Do you find it difficult to identify the plot because of Stranger at the Gate being non-fiction? Why or why not? What about the various elements of the plot?

3. Identify the major sub-plots and their elements in Stranger at the Gate. (They may not contain every element of a major plot). Do the sub-plots add to the main plot? Explain. Are the sub-plots interesting in and of themselves? Why or why not?

4. Do you think having a plot in non-fiction is important? Why or why not?

(see the answer keys)

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