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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 do the narrator and the others see while strolling around town at three o'clock in the morning?

2. How does Philip feel about Anne-Marie in Chapter 12?

3. What does Cristina tell the narrator he should be?

4. Which of the following does NOT describe Philip's car?

5. To where has the narrator moved in Chapter 4?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is Cristina's view on photography and objectivity?

2. What is ironic about Philip's situation?

3. How does the author foreshadow Philip's death as he and Anne-Marie drive to the countryside?

4. What are the narrator's secret thoughts about Anne-Marie in Chapter 17?

5. What information does the narrator find in Philip's diaries?

6. Explain the correlation the author makes between Philip's soon-to-be-extinguished life and Philip and Anne-Marie engaging in anal sex.

7. How do thoughts of Philip and Anne-Marie's intimacy make the narrator feel even more alone?

8. How does Anne-Marie intuitively feel about her relationship with Philip?

9. What is revealed about Philip's personality from his actions?

10. Why is the narrator leaving one city and what is his destination as the novel begins?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Salter's use of symbolism and imagery in the story as related to the the car and driving. What does the car represent? Which characters are especially affected by the car and driving and what do they mean to them?

Essay Topic 2

Explain the concept of loneliness as it exhibits in the story. Which of the characters are lonely? Are they all lonely in some way? Explain the loneliness and the methods and attempts to overcome it.

Essay Topic 3

The author uses several instances of flashbacks in the story. Explain what a flashback is and cite at least two making sure to explain what makes each a flashback.

(see the answer keys)

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