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. Why does Lucy tell Pete she had a hard time finding the road to his house in Chapter 6, "Sister"?

2. What business does Dottie now run in Chapter 6, "Sister"?

3. What room does Dottie offer Dr. Small after he complains about his first room at her bed and breakfast?

4. How old was Annie Appleby when she left home for Boston?

5. How many children did David Sewell and his first wife have?

Short Essay Questions

1. How would you describe the relationship between Vicky and Lucy Barton?

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

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

4. Why did Dottie keep Charlie Macauley's registration form and what does it symbolize?

5. What does the tape recorder represent symbolically in Chapter 8, "Snow-Blind"?

6. How are the Smalls initially described in Chapter 7, "Dottie's Bed and Breakfast"?

7. What is the principle setting of Chapter 8, "Snow-Blind" and why is it significant?

8. What does the rug symbolize in Chapter 6, "Sister"?

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

10. How would you describe the relationship between Lucy and Pete Barton?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Describe the plot structure of Anything Is Possible as a whole and in segments. How is each story structured? Is there a clear beginning, middle, and end? How does this style of narrative develop as a larger work and does this novel as a whole follow traditional plot development?

Essay Topic 2

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?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the theme of family in Anything Is Possible. How is family perceived by the different characters in each of the nine stories in the collection? What overall statement do you think the author is making regarding family?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 837 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample