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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. While taking a walk with his children, what does Sean's father realize he has forgotten, or is missing?

2. What did the narrator and Sonny argue about while the narrator was on leave from the armed forces?

3. What story element is Vance trying to explain through his retelling of "The Amish Farmer"?

4. What drug was Sonny arrested for selling?

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

Short Essay Questions

1. What type of relationship does Louise have with her mother in the story "The Fat Girl"?

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

3. What is Sean's married life like?

4. What does Sonny blame his heroin addiction on?

5. What type of relationship do George and Lenore have in the story "Weekend"?

6. Why is Willi Varig hired to tell his story to an audience of people in the story, "Talk of Heroes"?

7. How does Willie's father react when Willi tells him what he witnessed in the barn?

8. How does Pendleton react to the newcomer in his restaurant in the story "The Fisherman From Chihuahua"?

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

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

"Letters from the Samantha" tells the tale of a sea captain and his relationship with a giant ape. First, describe how the sea captain first came in contact with the giant ape and what his first response of the animal was. Then, explain why the captain's opinion of the giant ape suddenly changed? How did the relationship between the captain and the ape finally end? Which individual proved to have more menacing animal instincts? How can you tell? Be sure to include examples from the text that you believe strengthen your arguments.

Essay Topic 2

"Water Liars" expresses the relationship between truth and story telling. Choose one of the stories that the men told on Farte's Pier and express whether or not you believe the story to be true and why. Why do the men on the pier continue to tell the story? What message is sent to the reader about the value of truth, or lack thereof, in a good story? How do the stories told at Farte's Pier help the narrator cope with his personal problems? Be sure to include examples from the text that you believe strengthen your arguments.

Essay Topic 3

The story "Where are You Going, Where Have You Been?" is full of moments when reality and fantasy intermix, particularly in the mind of Connie. Describe the fantasy Connie has about love and compare that to the reality of the romance present in her young life. Then, describe the fantasy Connie creates about Arnold Friend and compare it to the reality of who he really is. Finally, explain the way that Connie's experiences with Arnold, either real or imagined, affected the way she views the world. Be sure to include examples from the text that you believe strengthen your arguments.

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