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 do both Clive and Vernon fail to see?

2. How does Clive feel about ignoring the argument?

3. What is Vernon's new purpose in life?

4. Which word best defines Vernon's staff at The Judge in Chapter Four?

5. How does Clive get to Penrith?

Short Essay Questions

1. How is Clive unethical?

2. Are Clive and Vernon hypocrites? Why or why not?

3. Is one of the men more morally right than the other?

4. Why does Clive oppose Vernon's plan to post the pictures?

5. Is Vernon really a victim? If so, what is he a victim of?

6. How is Vernon's fate a consequence of poor judgment?

7. Why does Clive confess that he sees a violent attack to Vernon?

8. What is the root cause of Clive and Vernon's relationship falling apart?

9. What is Frank's role in Vernon's resignation?

10. What inspires Clive when he goes hiking?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

What character is the focal point of each chapter? What do you think Ian McEwan hopes to accomplish in focusing on characters on a chapter-by-chapter basis? What kind of effect does this have on the reader?

Essay Topic 2

How is the novel Amsterdam controversial? How do you think society views this book? Is Ian McEwan trying to teach a lesson about euthanasia? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 3

Describe the foreshadowing that occurs throughout the novel. What predictions do you make based on foreshadowing? Are your predictions correct? Cite at least three quotes from the novel.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 699 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample