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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. How does Gawande characterize Jewel Douglas’ temperament in the depths of treatment?

2. How does Gawande say his father found peace and gave him and the other around him peace as well?

3. How often does Gawande say he thought about elderly patients before the issue of geriatrics became an interest for him?

4. Who did Gawande’s father want to see in his final bout of wakefulness?

5. What was the third place Gawande’s father wanted his ashes scattered?

Short Essay Questions

1. What are the priorities Gawande says people have, at the end of their lives, that go beyond “prolonging their lives” (155)?

2. What does Gawande say was the mistake his father made in his medical care?

3. What does Gawande say are the advantages of the New Bridge on the Charles retirement community?

4. How does Gawande characterize the work that remains to be done in medicine?

5. How does Gawande say that dealing with elderly patients changed his medical approach?

6. What was Bill Thomas’ experience prior to starting as the director at the Chase Memorial Nursing Home?

7. How does Gawande characterize the ceremony for disposing of his father’s ashes?

8. What are the instructions Gawande’s father left, for the disposal of his remains?

9. What are the advantages and disadvantages of Gawande ending on a personal note?

10. What effect did Thomas’ changes have on the residents?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

What health care proposals currently in the political discourse are most likely to provide for a good death for the greatest number of people? Who is proposing that legislation, and who is opposed to it? What are the reasons for the opposition’s dissent? Who do the parties on either side speak for (who are their backers/donors)?

Essay Topic 2

What is the reform you would suggest or support, to change the nature of elder care in our culture? What problem would your reform address, and what are the potential complications it would create? Who would be in favor of your reform, and who would not? Why?

Essay Topic 3

Where is the climax of this book? Are there different climaxes? What questions does each climax resolve? What questions does each climax leave unanswered?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,109 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample