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This test consists of 5 multiple choice questions, 5 short answer questions, and 10 short essay questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. The narrator does NOT state that women who come into the store usually put on before entering?
(a) Shorts.
(b) Something.
(c) A shirt.
(d) A dress.

2. What is NOT an action the narrator describes as being part of the other customers' reactions to seeing the young women?
(a) Hiccup.
(b) Jump.
(c) Hop.
(d) Jerk.

3. Where is Stokesie located in relation to the narrator?
(a) Beside him.
(b) Two registers away.
(c) Facing him.
(d) With his back to him.

4. What country does the narrator imagine will have taken over the United States by the time Stokesie fulfills his goal?
(a) Vietnam.
(b) Germany.
(c) China.
(d) Russia.

5. The tallest young woman in the group has what type of hair?
(a) Long and blonde.
(b) Red and long.
(c) Short and blonde.
(d) Black and frizzy.

Short Answer Questions

1. In what part of town is the A and P located?

2. The narrator tells the reader, "Here comes the" what "part of the story" (12)?

3. How old is the woman who takes the narrator to task for ringing up her crackers twice, according to the narrator?

4. On what day of the week does the story take place?

5. The narrator describes the young woman to whom he refers as "Queenie" (5) as being "more than" (3) what?

Short Essay Questions

1. In what way is Sammy demonstrating true empathy toward the young women with his comment beginning with "Poor kids" (11)?

2. What is Sammy's purpose for using a historical allusion in Paragraph 1?

3. What are Sammy's feelings about Stokesie's career goal?

4. Discuss the way in which Sammy objectifies the three young women.

5. Discuss how Updike uses language to indicate the character traits of Sammy.

6. How is the animal motif included within Paragraphs 1-6?

7. What does Sammy mean when he describes Stokesie "finding his voice" (9)?

8. Describe the three young women who enter the store.

9. Provide evidence for the conclusion that Sammy uses diminutive terms indiscriminate of his target's gender.

10. Provide evidence for the conclusion that there are many people in Sammy's town who are set in their ways.

(see the answer keys)

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