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. For how long did Mary's first husband have an affair with his secretary?

2. What did a theater director once tell Annie Appleby protects her?

3. Who is described among the Appleby children as the dullest and most like their mother in Chapter 8, "Snow-Blind"?

4. What did Vicky's mother do when Vicky was a child and was caught crying?

5. How many daughters does Mary have?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does the lake house represent symbolically in Chapter 7, "Dottie's Bed and Breakfast"?

2. What truths of Annie's father and Charlene's father are revealed in Chapter 8, "Snow-Blind"?

3. How did Annie Appleby's success come about?

4. What is remarked about the Pretty Nicely Girls in Chapter 5, "Mississippi Mary"?

5. How is Annie Appleby described as a child in Chapter 8, "Snow-Blind"?

6. How would you describe the relationship between Mary and Angelina in Chapter 5, "Mississippi Mary"?

7. What story from a Reader's Digest publication had an emotional impact on Dottie Blaine?

8. What is the setting for Chapter 5, "Mississippi Mary"? Why is this setting significant?

9. What is related of Tommy Guptill in Chapter 6, "Sister"?

10. What is Mary's backstory in Chapter 5, "Mississippi Mary"? How has she come to her current situation?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Define foreshadowing and red herrings and discuss examples of each from Anything Is Possible. In what stories from the collection are foreshadowing and red herrings most employed? Why are they employed? What were your reactions to them upon reading?

Essay Topic 2

Describe and discuss the character of Tommy Guptill in the novel. What are Tommy's actions, objectives, and obstacles in "The Sign"? How would you describe Tommy's outlook in life? Where does he live? How old is he?

Essay Topic 3

In the story "Cracked," the narrative shifts focus between more than one character. Why do you think this story differs from many of the others in this way? What does this reveal about the characters in the story? How does this narrative style influence the story's themes?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 788 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample