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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 do Willie and Jack do with Willie's father?
(a) They go hunting.
(b) They listen to the radio.
(c) They eat dinner.
(d) They play cards.

2. How does Jack confirm Willie's affair?
(a) Because he confronts Willie directly.
(b) Because Willie sends Jack to buy the woman a piece of jewelry.
(c) Because the woman storms into his office demanding to know about rumors of Willie seeing other women.
(d) Because he has seen the woman coming out of Willie's hotel room one morning.

3. What does Willie want of Judge Irwin?
(a) He wants the judge to endorse him in the next election.
(b) He wants the judge to contribute to his campaign funds.
(c) He wants the judge to campaign for him in the next election.
(d) He wants the judge to support a man Willie has chosen for a senate nomination.

4. Which political faction covertly backs Willie's campaign?
(a) The MacMurfee faction
(b) The Stanton faction
(c) The Irwin faction
(d) The Harrison faction

5. Why does the Attorney General, Hugh Miller resign his position?
(a) He has been diagonosed with a terminal illness.
(b) His wife has a terminal illness.
(c) He objects to the help given to White.
(d) He can no longer keep the travel schedule necessary for the job.

Short Answer Questions

1. What is Judge Irwin's response to Willie's request?

2. Who is Cass Mastern?

3. What story does Jack's editor want Jack to get?

4. On what topic does Willie complain to Jack about Lucy?

5. Who does not approve of Jack working for Willie?

Short Essay Questions

1. What personal connection does Jack find to Cass Mastern during his research?

2. Does Jack have any contact with his real father now?

3. Jack is not the only character undergoing a radical shift in perspective. What happens to Willie after the football game injury which paralyzes his son, Tom?

4. What role did Judge Irwin play in Jack's childhood?

5. What is the author's purpose of sending Jack on a road trip?

6. Explain the actions in Chapter 9 which create not only the climax of the novel but also the classic theme of good vs. evil.

7. What are the circumstances surrounding Willie's loss at reelection for the county treasurer job?

8. What does Jack recall about his childhood at the beginning of Chapter 3?

9. What purpose does Chapter 4 serve for the novel?

10. What does Anne give Jack as her reasons for having the affair with Willie?

(see the answer keys)

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