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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 does Alex's ex-husband do for a living?

2. In Chapter 8, where would Twyla's family gather after church on Sundays?

3. In Chapter 12, how do Gary and Alex react to their grandmother's death?

4. In Chapter 1, what do Barbra and Victor have an unusual number of in their home?

5. In Chapter 12, how had Barbra felt about having children before she had them?

Short Essay Questions

1. What unpleasant memory does Avery think of involving Victor in Chapter 4?

2. In Chapter 12, what does Carver regret?

3. In Chapter 3, when does Gary realize that something might be seriously wrong in his family?

4. In Chapter 12, what does Barbra grow up wanting from a relationship?

5. In Chapter 12, what prompts Barbra to break off her engagement with Bernie?

6. In Chapter 8, why does Twyla have a Bible in Victor's hospital room?

7. In Chapter 9, what happens when Gary plans to fly to New Orleans to be with his family as Victor is dying?

8. In Chapter 6, what does Alex think is different about Twyla?

9. In Chapter 12, what does Barbra's friend Cora tell her about how to entice Victor more?

10. In Chapter 1, what strikes the paramedics odd about Barbra's reaction to Victor's heart attack?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Why do you think Alex is so desperate to learn more about her parents' relationship and their reasons for moving to New Orleans? Write an essay explaining your answers, citing specific references to the text.

Essay Topic 2

How does Barbra feel about the idea of having children with Victor? After Barbra has children with Victor, how does she feel about her own children and about raising them? Write an essay explaining your answers.

Essay Topic 3

What is Barbra's mother's, Anya, influence on Alex and Gary as both children and adults? Write an essay explaining your answers.

(see the answer keys)

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