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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. In Chapter 6, why is Alex's daughter upset?

2. In Chapter 13, what does Alex do instead of driving home from the hospital?

3. In Chapter 11, what does Barbra ask Alex to do regarding Victor?

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

5. In Chapter 10, what does Corey bring to the picnic with Sharon?

Short Essay Questions

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

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

3. In Chapter 12, what activity does Barbra do daily and compulsively?

4. In Chapter 12, what does Barbra remember the most about her own father?

5. In Chapter 6, how does Bobby respond when Alex asks him to think more of their daughter Sadie and put her first?

6. In Chapter 12, when does Barbra first begin to realize Victor has abusive tendencies?

7. In Chapter 11, what does Alex remember about her mother Barbra's life-long approach to food?

8. In Chapter 6, what is Sadie upset about concerning her father?

9. In Chapter 2, why has Alex given up on her parents years ago?

10. In Chapter 12, how does Barbra meet Victor for the first time?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

How does Barbra handle Victor's sustained physical and emotional abuse throughout their marriage? Write an essay explaining your answer, citing specific references to the text to help support your answers.

Essay Topic 2

How does Attenberg use the fact of the infidelity between Twyla and Victor to help sustain suspense at different points in the novel? Write an essay explaining your answer.

Essay Topic 3

Write an essay comparing and contrasting Alex's relationship with her daughter Sadie and Twyla's relationship with her daughter Avery, citing specific references to the text to help support your answers.

(see the answer keys)

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