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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. Audrey's neighbors are named Stuart and what?

2. Grant discovered he was gay after college, when he met a flamboyantly gay man who did what?

3. Who watches Merit in the library?

4. Audrey learns that her ex-husband has done what while she is helping the teen??

5. Who comes to stay with Slip in the summer?

Short Essay Questions

1. What family secret does Beau discover and tell Faith about and how does Faith react?

2. How does the relationship between Eric and Merit come full-circle at Reni's college graduation?

3. What is Audrey's attitude about her divorce?

4. How is Slip's illness reminiscent of the opening of the book and what could it mean in reference to the beginning of the book?

5. What is the major conflict after the circus?

6. Describe the changes in Fred in this section of the book.

7. Was the accident that killed Faith's mother Faith's fault?

8. How does Merit feel about the man who watches her in the library?

9. Why do Audrey and Slip argue?

10. Describe the complete change in Audrey between the beginning of the book and the nineties.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Keeping secrets is a major theme of the book.

Part 1. Choose at least four secrets in the book and describe the pros and cons of keeping them, as well as what happened to the characters when those secrets were revealed.

Part 2. Based on your response to part 1, as well as your real life experiences, do you feel that keeping a secret is ever a good thing? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 2

Kari takes some heat when she adopts Julia because Julia is of mixed race. Using at least three hundred words, describe your thoughts about Julia's race and about race in general. For example, do you feel that any race is inferior to any other race? Why or why not? Also, how would you handle the harassment from others, if you were Julia or Kari?

Essay Topic 3

Eric abuses Merit throughout the book. His abuse eventually results in a divorce and, ultimately, Merit hits him when they meet up again at their daughter's college graduation.

Part 1. Why was Eric abusive towards Merit?

Part 2. Why did Merit take Eric's abuse for as long as she did?

Part 3. Choose two conflicts between Merit and Eric and describe alternative ways that Eric and Merit could have resolved the conflict.

(see the answer keys)

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