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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. In Chapter 4, what does the unnamed narrator say people expected initially in the investigation of Missy's death?

2. In Chapter 13, what does Sarah say she once enjoyed doing at the bistros in the big city?

3. In Chapter 2, why does Sarah say her parents moved to New Bern several years before she did?

4. In Chapter 3, what complaint does Miles silently make about Sarah's classroom during their first meeting?

5. What does the unnamed narrator say was the center of Missy and Miles' life?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Miles deal with Jonah's many nightmares?

2. What did Miles do the day Missy died rather than stay home and care for the lawn as she asked? What were the last words he said to her that day?

3. What does the unnamed narrator in Chapter 4 tell the reader kept Miles from looking for Missy on the day of her death when she was late coming home? Who told Miles about Missy's accident?

4. Why has Sarah Andrews moved to New Bern? Why did she choose an apartment in downtown New Bern despite the difficult parking situation?

5. How do Sarah's parents react to meeting Miles and Jonah for the first time? What is Brian's reaction to Miles and Jonah?

6. How did Miles come to have a case file on the death of his wife? What does he do with it?

7. What makes Miles suddenly realize he might like to ask Sarah to marry him one day?

8. In Chapter 9, Jonah is convinced Miles and Miss Andrews are going to get married because they are going on a date. How does Miles handle this situation?

9. In Chapter 2, for what reason does Sarah think that Jonah has become so far behind in his class work? What does she think of that?

10. In Chapter 13, what story does Miss Harkins tell Sarah and Miles?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Who is Sarah Andrews? Why does the author immediately introduce her divorce and the cause for it? What impact might such a situation have on a future relationship for Sarah? Does this situation impact Sarah's ability to be a romantic partner, to be a mother? What does Sarah think of Jonah Ryan? Why is Sarah concerned about him? Is what happened to Jonah a common occurrence? Why does Sarah think the previous teachers did Jonah a disservice? Did they? What does Sarah's opinion of Jonah and his situation say about Sarah as a teacher? About Sarah as a person?

Essay Topic 2

Why does Charlie take Miles' guns and his case file in Missy's death? What is Charlie afraid Miles will do? Does the reader think Miles is capable of such an act? Why does Miles later find a gun that he had hidden away? What does Miles plan to do with this gun? Would killing the person responsible really make things easier for Miles in regards to Missy's death? Would Missy have wanted him to do such a thing? What would happen to Jonah? Would Charlie be able to arrest Miles for such an act?

Essay Topic 3

Who is Missy Ryan? How did she die? What does the unnamed narrator say about Missy? Why does the unnamed narrator make it clear that this book is not about Missy? What was Miles and Missy's relationship like? How might their lives had played out if Missy had not been killed? What impact did Missy's death have on her son? What impact did it have on her husband? How did Missy's death impact the small town of New Bern? How do these changes play a role in this novel?

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