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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. How long does the man work before being paid by the narrator?

2. What does Mr. Vercueil do after being beaten?

3. What does the narrator give the man following his reaction to her comment regarding giving money for nothing?

4. What disease is the narrator diagnosed with?

5. Why did the housekeeper bring her son to the narrator's house?

Short Essay Questions

1. What did the police do to Bheki and his friend?

2. What does the narrator not understand about the townships?

3. What does the homeless men decline after answering questions about his birthplace?

4. Who returns with her two young daughters and teenage son in Part Two, pgs. 35-56?

5. What is the narrator surprised about when she observes Mr. Vercueil?

6. What does the narrator say to the homeless man about her family?

7. Why does the narrator say she cannot give him money for nothing?

8. What does the narrator explain when a neighbor who calls on the phone?

9. What does the narrator say about charity?

10. What does the narrator ask the homeless man to do upon her death?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Examine the significance of the statement that the House of Parliament is the "house of shame."

Essay Topic 2

Analyze Florence's reaction to Mr. Vercueil and compare it with Mrs. Curren's reaction to him.

Essay Topic 3

Analyze why Coetzee chose to write using fiction in "Age of Iron".

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 504 words (approx. 2 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample