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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 the narrator say the Ateneo Veneto once housed?

2. What is Giampaolo's view of glassmaking?

3. What does Peter say the new structure of the Fenice will have to be made of?

4. What do the young girls talking with the carabinieri want?

5. What does the Count say Venetians are consumed by?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does the panel of experts come to the conclusion that the Fenice fire must not have been caused by arson?

2. Explain what Guerrino Lovato tells the narrator about the interior of the Fenice.

3. Describe the Plant Man.

4. How does the Count Giovanni Volpi describe his father?

5. Explain what Rose tells the narrator about the safety of the city of Venice.

6. Describe Capitano Mario Moro.

7. How does Archimede Seguso react to the fire?

8. What does the narrator say about Venice at the beginning of Chapter 2?

9. What does Giampaolo Seguso tell the narrator about the rift with his family?

10. What is the pigeon problem in Venice and how is it being dealt with?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Describe the conflict between nobility and democracy the narrator weaves at the Carnival ball in Chapter 6 through the narrative about the characters of Alvise Loredan and the "Rat Man" of Treviso, and explain how this conflict is relevant to Venetian culture as a whole.

Essay Topic 2

Compare/contrast the author's writing style with the pace of life in Venice, giving specific examples from the book.

Essay Topic 3

Compare and contrast Gino and Giampaolo Seguso's views of the role of tradition in the family glassblowing business using specific details from the story.

(see the answer keys)

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