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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. Once Kinsey returns home from Los Angeles, she has to make a difficult phone call regarding Sharon. Who is the call to?

2. What is the result of Kinsey's phone call to Charlotte Mercer?

3. Why does Kinsey think this new information on Lyle's past work life might be important?

4. After arriving at her conclusion about Charlie Scorsoni, Kinsey looks at something she took from Sharon's apartment. What does it tell her?

5. What valuable piece of information does Greg Fife tell Kinsey that relates to his father's case?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Kinsey do when she returns to the Glass residence the day after the explosion?

2. What surprising things does Gwen Fife tell Kinsey when she meets her at Rosie's Bar?

3. After confronting Lyle in L.A., Kinsey goes to the accounting firm where Libby used to work. What does she tell Garry Steinberg that she suspects about Charlie?

4. Kinsey takes boxes of Libby's things back to the motel room. What does she do and what does she find?

5. Where does Kinsey go after she has attempted to find out more from Colin about Gwen?

6. What does Kinsey learn at her meeting with Garry Steinberg?

7. After her third visit to the Glass residence, Kinsey returns to Santa Teresa and sleeps until 4 in the afternoon. Then she heads to Nikki's beach house. What happens at the beach house?

8. On the Monday after her meal with Charlie, Kinsey meets with Con Dolan at homicide. What is the outcome of her meeting with Con?

9. After fighting and reconciling with Charlie, Kinsey meets with Homicide Detective Dolan again. What does he tell her about the "Darling Elizabeth" letter? How does Kinsey feel about this?

10. While driving back to Santa Teresa after visiting Garry Steinberg, what does Kinsey realize about her relationship with Charlie? How do Sharon's phone bills help her verify this?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

In reference to the plotting of "'A' Is for Alibi":

(1) Why are the events of the novel arranged as they are?

(2) What moves the narrative along? Is it external action or internal conflicts? Or a combination of both? Support your answer with three examples.

Essay Topic 2

Explain how dialogue serves as a device to enhance:

(1) Exposition

(2) Characterization

(3) Foreshadowing

(4) Resolution

Give one example from "'A' Is for Alibi" that illustrates each of these elements.

Essay Topic 3

What do the element of challenges add to a work of fiction, in particular, the murder mystery novel? What challenges does Kinsey Millhone face in "'A' Is for Alibi"? Give four examples of challenges, and explain how she overcomes or is defeated by these challenges.

(see the answer keys)

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