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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. What awakens Bird from his sleep?
(a) A gunshot.
(b) His wife.
(c) An alarm clock.
(d) A telephone call.

2. How does Bird get to the hospital?
(a) Subway.
(b) Bus.
(c) Bicycle.
(d) Cab.

3. What comes over Bird as he waits for the bus?
(a) A strong, angry sexual desire.
(b) Paternal feelings.
(c) The urge to vomit.
(d) A panic attack.

4. Of what is Bird convinced as he walks through the hospital?
(a) His wife will divorce him.
(b) His son is dead.
(c) His wife will not want any more children.
(d) His father-in-law will pay for surgery.

5. When does the doctor want Bird to return to the hospital?
(a) Tonight.
(b) This afternoon.
(c) Next week.
(d) Tomorrow.

Short Answer Questions

1. Who tells Bird about the baby's condition at the other hospital?

2. What is Bird afraid of losing now that his child is here?

3. Surgery will be performed on Bird's baby to ______________________.

4. What request does Bird's colleague make of him?

5. How does Bird feel about responsibility for his child?

Short Essay Questions

1. Who is Delchef and how is he introduced into the story?

2. How does the doctor exhibit insensitivity toward Bird about the baby on the way to the hospital?

3. How does Bird's thoughts about his child as a war hero show what Bird really feels about the journey ahead for the child and himself?

4. What is ironic about Bird's using sex to avoid responsibility?

5. What does Bird think about after he leaves the shop and how does he avoid learning about the birth of his child?

6. How does Bird learn that his child has a problem?

7. What is Bird's state of mind at the beginning of the book and what does the first chapter signify for his life?

8. What is Bird doing at the beginning of A PERSONAL MATTER? What is going on with Bird's wife and how does Bird think his life will soon change?

9. Waking up sick with a hangover, what does Bird think might serve as partial restitution for the baby's dire situation?

10. Why did the author give names to only a few of the characters?

(see the answer keys)

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