View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. How does Frank sign off in most his letters to Helene?

2. Who does Cecily tell Helene that she is going on vacation with?

3. Helene describes herself to Cecily as being about as smart looking as a________________.

4. What kind of England does Helene dream of finding?

5. What year is the Volume II of the Works and Life of Sir Walter Savage Landor that is sent to Helene published?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Helene learn that the other employees of Mark & Co are curious about her?

2. What does the staff of Marks & Co. do with the 1951 Christmas package Helene sends?

3. What mistake is Helene afraid she made by sending a ham in her Christmas package to Marks & Co.?

4. Why does Helene need to stop purchasing books in 1961?

5. Why is Helene concerned that Frank may be ripping pages out of books?

6. How does Helene get nylons to women of Marks & Co.?

7. What are Helene's friend Maxine's impressions when she visits Marks & Co. in London?

8. Why does Helene joke with Frank about the British occupation of New York from 1776 through 1783?

9. What is Helene's response to Frank inquiring if she would like a first edition of Newman's Idea of a University?

10. Why is Frank's passion for old books comforting to Helene?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Helene admits to not being fond of fiction, yet in many ways these letters read like a novel. Discuss the "fictional" aspects of the letters.

Essay Topic 2

Helene concludes that she goes through life "watching the English language being raped before me face." What does she mean by this and why does she use a literary reference to Edward Arlington Robinson?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss how the love of language and the craft of writing are important to the people in the book on both sides of the Atlantic.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 837 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample