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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. When Kinsey returns to Santa Teresa from Los Angeles, who has left her three messages?

2. Why is Kinsey disappointed with the homicide detective's conclusions on the "Darling Elizabeth" letter?

3. Kinsey pulls a gun on Lyle Abernathy when she returns to the key place. What is the result of this?

4. Where was Charlie supposed to have been the night of Sharon's murder?

5. Kinsey decides she has to talk to Gwen a fourth time. What are they doing when Gwen confesses to killing Laurence?

Short Essay Questions

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

2. 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?

3. What is the result of Kinsey's going to the Ranch House restaurant with Charlie?

4. Kinsey phones Charlotte Mercer after discussing the "Darling Elizabeth" letter with Con Dolan. What does Charlotte tell her? Who can Kinsey now eliminate as suspects? Who can't she eliminate, causing her uneasiness?

5. 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?

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

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

8. 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?

9. After meeting with Con, Kinsey decides the time has come to finally trap Marcia Threadgill, the fraudster who is trying to get money out of the California Fidelity Insurance Company. What does Kinsey do?

10. After Diane talks about her parents, Kinsey asks her about Bruno, the dog who died on the last Labor Day weekend Laurence was alive. How does Diane respond to this?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

What role do other characters play in the mystery novel "'A' Is for Alibi"? Are they as important to the narrative as the narrator (Kinsey) is? Give four examples where four other characters are central to the storytelling. Give two examples where the narrative is focused only on Kinsey. Give two examples where Kinsey's relationship with two other characters is the focus of the narrative.

Essay Topic 2

Conflict is a common element of writing in both fiction and nonfiction. Why is conflict so often used in narratives? How can it help move a story along? Give four examples where conflict in "'A' Is for Alibi" occurs and how it helps explain the relationship between Kinsey and other characters.

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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