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

2. As Kinsey meets with Gwen for the third time, what does Kinsey attribute Laurence's interest in Nikki to?

3. What does Kinsey realize she and Charlie have in common as they talk at the Ranch House?

4. Kinsey is still working on the insurance fraudster case. What does she decide to do to catch the woman out?

5. What had Diane Fife experienced a lot of after her father's death?

Short Essay Questions

1. Kinsey decides she has to return to Nikki's beach house to follow up on something. What is it, and what is the result of the follow up?

2. After her fight with Charlie, what does Kinsey do? What does this make her realize? What happens when he comes over later to apologize?

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

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

5. 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?

6. After Garry shares his news about Lyle, Gwen Fife calls Kinsey, and they arrange to meet for lunch. What does Gwen tell Kinsey, and how does Kinsey respond?

7. 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?

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

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

10. What is the result of Kinsey's last trip to L.A.?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

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 2

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 3

State the theme of A is for Alibi. How does the theme of the story reflected in the conflict? Give four examples with an explanation for each one.

(see the answer keys)

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