View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What is the name of Sean's sister?

2. What is the name of the first babysitter Carlyle hires?

3. What animal does Willi's father breed for a living?

4. What terrible weather occurred when Sarah went missing?

5. In the story "Weekend," what did George do for a living before retiring?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is Earl's first impression of the town Rock Springs?

2. What reason does Raymond Carver give about why he wanted to compose this collection of short stories?

3. Why doesn't Push like John Williams, and what does he do about it?

4. What is Carlyle's life like at the opening of the story "Fever"?

5. Why does Daniel aggressively attack Noel in the story "The Amish Farmer"?

6. What reaction does the narrator have when watching Sonny play his music in the story "Sonny's Blues"?

7. What unfortunate site does Willi witness in the story of the same name, and how does the young boy react to what he's seen?

8. Why does Lenore comfort George at the end of the story "Weekend"?

9. What type of relationship does Carlyle form with Mrs. Webster in the story "Fever"?

10. What happens when Sean is trapped in an elevator in the story "Midair"?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

In the story "A Good Man is Hard to Find," the grandmother has an obsession with one article of clothing. First, describe that article of clothing and explain why it is so important to the grandmother. What does the grandmother think this item of clothing represents? Then, explain what happens to this article of clothing as the story progresses. How does the change in the clothing item represent the emotional and moral changes occurring in the grandmother's character? Be sure to include examples from the text that you believe strengthen your arguments.

Essay Topic 2

"The Fat Girl" is a story of a woman who struggles with every relationship in her life, from her relationship with others to her relationship with herself. Describe why Louise struggles to love herself. Describe what steps Louise takes to better her life and the outcome of these attempts. Explain how Louise's struggles for love and acceptance rear their head again once she is married and has become a mother. What does Louise give up in order to find herself again? What is Louise's emotional journey? Be sure to include examples from the text that you believe strengthen your argument.

Essay Topic 3

The story "The Lover of Horses" is a story about obsessions. First, create a list of the obsessions present in the family of the narrator. Which of these obsessions do you think is most harmful to the family's function? Why? Choose one of the obsessions from your list and explain how it leads to heartache for some characters, and a sense of grandeur for others. Finally, explain how the narrator is able to succumb to her own obsessions only as a method of letting her father go. Be sure to include examples from the text that you believe strengthen your arguments.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,218 words (approx. 5 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample