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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. What is Tim sure he can smell in the church when he is there alone at night?

2. Where does Sadie want to build the retirement home?

3. What is given to the person who finds Barnabas?

4. Who does Tim give his life to at the end of the book?

5. What is the inscription that Willard carves in the Porter House?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does the loss of Barnabas bring Dooley and Tim closer together?

2. What do we know about Andrew Gregory?

3. Describe the events of the evening leading up to Cynthia's proposal that she and Tim go steady.

4. Describe the reunion between Tim and Barnabas.

5. Describe the scene in the hospital after Joe is shot.

6. Prior to Tim going into the hospital, what specific stressors was he facing?

7. What inscription has Willard carved into the Porter House? Why is this significant?

8. What does the bishop tell Tim he should do near the end of the book? Why do you think he tells Tim this?

9. When the townspeople commented on Tim's sickly look, what do you think Karon wanted her readers to think about Tim's health?

10. Explain the dynamics of Olivia and Hoppy's relationship in Chapters 13-16.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Describe an ethical dilemma Karon presents in her book. What are the circumstances of this dilemma? How is it ultimately resolved? Would you have resolved it differently?

Essay Topic 2

Identify the climax of this story and the series of events leading up to the climax. How do characters respond to the climax? What did Karon include in her story to insure that the climax would be as powerful and meaningful as possible?

Essay Topic 3

The church plays a central role in Karon's book, providing a foundation for characters' world views. What do you think having a Christian church as the backdrop adds to the reader's understanding of events and characters?

(see the answer keys)

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