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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 kind of vehicle arrives to pick up Stephen to meet the Prime Minister?

2. Where did Stephen enjoy going to school and playing outside as a child?

3. What does Thelma say that Charles is, at the end of Chapter 5?

4. What happens to the truck driver after his vehicle skids?

5. When the chauffeur refuses to stop, what does Stephen do?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Stephen say about writing and music and early childhood education at the subcommittee meeting?

2. Why does the young man at the subcommittee meeting believe that learning written languages at an early age is not a good idea?

3. How does Stephen work through his feelings about Julie and her leaving him?

4. What does Stephen discover about Charles when Thelma gives him directions to where Charles is in the woods?

5. Why does Stephen want to get out of the Prime Minister's car?

6. Why does the handbook excerpt say that it is acceptable to bribe children for good behavior?

7. How does Stephen survive the crash with the truck?

8. When the secretary insists that Stephen meet with the Prime Minister, how does he respond?

9. When Stephen talks about his bicycle memory near the sea, how do his parents respond?

10. How does Stephen respond to the Prime Minister's secretary's request for a second meeting?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

One of the main themes in the book is ethical and social responsibility. List at least four examples where McEwan employs this specific theme. Is the battle between making ethical choices obvious or subtle? What characters are involved in this kind of battle? Do you think the right person or group won? Does good always triumph over evil in the case of The Child In Time ethics?

Essay Topic 2

Ian McEwan is a master at dramatic devices. Choose an example of symbolism, metaphors, and irony, briefly describe them and identify the technique which they embody.

Essay Topic 3

The Prime Minister and Charles are two important characters that interact and experience a secret relationship together.

Part 1) What is their relationship? How do they co-exist and how do they interact? What is similar about them and what is different?

Part 2) What are some events that the Prime Minister had a direct influence upon? What are some events that Charles had a direct influence upon?

Part 3) Which character offers support to the group? Which one is stronger and why? What happens to each character?

(see the answer keys)

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