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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. Why does Aunt Granny Lith haunt Casey in his marriage?

2. Where are Jane's parents drinking on the train?

3. In the story Helping, what do both Elliot and Grace do for a living?

4. Who does Lemuel Strayhorn ask to help him with his and Daddy Garbage's discovery?

5. In the story Lawns, how does the narrator identify herself in the first sentence of the story?

Short Essay Questions

1. Who is the main character of Departures? How old is he when the story opens? Where is he going?

2. In the story Murderers, who do the young boys want to see when they climb up onto the water tower, and why?

3. How do the boys in Murderers get caught on their misadventure, and what happens to them?

4. In the short story Train, who are the two little girls on the train, how old are they, and where are they going?

5. In Men Under Water, who is the narrator's wife, and how does she feel about him working for Gunther? What does the narrator do for a living?

6. In the story Helping, who are Elliot and Grace and what do they do for a living? How are their jobs similar and how are they different?

7. What news does the narrator receive about Sparky Smith shortly after her move from Fort Niagara?

8. In Cody's Story, who are Cody and G.R.? What do they do for a living and where?

9. Where are the soldiers stationed in The Things They Carried, and who are the main characters?

10. In the story Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been, who is Arnold French, and how does he strike up a conversation with Connie?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

In her short story, Tan describes "invisible strength." How does MeiMei interpret the concept of invisible strength? What does she accomplish using this concept? What other female in another story uses what could be called invisible strength and how is it similar to MeiMei's?

Essay Topic 2

Earl, in Rock Springs, tries to change his life by stealing a car and leaving Montana with his girlfriend and his daughter. How does the author use foreshadowing to prepare the reader for Earl's failed attempt at this new life? How does the last paragraph of the story foreshadow the rest of Earl's life?

Essay Topic 3

The Fat Girl chronicles the story of a young woman with an eating disorder. How does Louise suffer at the hands of those who wish to help her? Discuss her relationships with her mother, her college roommate, and her husband in your essay.

(see the answer keys)

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