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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 tone infects Betsy's written description of the people with whom her father is night clubbing?
(a) Admiration.
(b) Condescention.
(c) Anger.
(d) Jealousy.

2. How does Alex refer to Betsy and Josephine?
(a) "Those two stupid Nashville women."
(b) "Those two awful Memphis girls."
(c) "Those two silly Tennessee girls."
(d) "Those two awful Nashville girls."

3. Where does Alex first meet Mr. Carver?
(a) On the school playground.
(b) At a soda fountain.
(c) On the way to the library.
(d) In church.

4. What is Mr. Carver wearing when he arrives at Alex Mercer's home the first time?
(a) Straw hat and raincoat.
(b) Stetson hat and polo coat.
(c) Top hat and tails.
(d) French beret and black wool coat.

5. In what year does George Carver move his family to Memphis?
(a) 1920.
(b) 1931.
(c) 1950.
(d) 1941.

Short Answer Questions

1. In what car does Betsy ride during the family's move to Memphis?

2. Who does Mr. Carver confide in when he wants to block Phillip from marrying his girlfriend in Chattanooga?

3. What are Alex's first words to Phillip?

4. What is the name of Phillip's school in Nashville?

5. Where does Alex teach?

Short Essay Questions

1. In Chapter 1, Phillip begins to explain the story of his family and their move from Nashville in 1931. What does he think is important for the reader to know in order for the story to make sense? Where does he begin the story? What does he tell us about the people whose conflict made the family's move necessary?

2. Alex witnesses Betsy and Josephine relating stories about Mr. Carver in Chapter 6. How does Phillip describe Alex's reaction to the sisters' behavior in public?

3. In Chapter 4, Phillip speaks of two important relationships in the novel. One is the friendship between Phillip and Alex. The other is the friendship between Alex and Mr. Carver. Father and son are not particularly close, but each are close to Alex. In this chapter, how does this triangle of friendship begin to display itself?

4. In Chapter 3, Phillip paints a picture of his parents and his two sisters living in Memphis and their conversations about dating and the men they are both seeing. How does this appear to him when he is home visiting? How do Betsy and Josephine behave in front of their parents? What is the topic of conversation much of the time Phillip is visiting? How do the elderly Mr. and Mrs. Carver respond to their middle-aged daughters' banter?

5. Betsy and Josephine always speak to Mr. Carver and Philip about their late-night dates and whether or not they should marry. In Chapter 6, Phillip knows that this is a game the two sisters play. Are there romances for these two women? Who does Phillip realize these phantom men are?

6. In Chapter 1, the narrator begins the story with an explanation of the perils of a widower with middle-aged children,dating. What is the major issue faced by the widower? What examples of this situation does the narrator provide?

7. Alex Mercer is Phillip's closest friend in Memphis and he corresponds regularly with Phillip in Manhattan concerning Mr. Carver. In Chapter 3, Phillip discusses Alex's position and concerns about Mr. Carver's new status as a widower and subsequent dating. What are these concerns? Why does Alex worry so much about how Betsy and Josephine will react to their father's dating some of the women in town? How does he look upon the middle aged daughters of his friend and their behavior about town concerning their father?

8. In Chapter 2, Phillip tells of the end of Betsy and Wyant's relationship. What incident causes the beginning of the end of the relationship? How does Betsy react to her father? How does Wyant react? What is father's objection and how does he present this to Betsy?

9. In Chapter 2, Phillip gives a detailed account of the traveling party on their way from Nashville to Memphis. Who went to Memphis that day? How many cars were in the caravan? Who did Betsy drive with to Memphis and why? What people outside of the immediate family moved to Memphis? Why did Father arrange for everyone in the caravan to move together?

10. In Chapter 5, Phillip's narrative presents many examples of Alex's ability to befriend both Mr Carver and Phillip Carver. What are the examples Phillip gives?

(see the answer keys)

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