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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. Where does Mike ask Beth to go with him?

2. What does Robert tell Beth soon after their arrival at their new home?

3. Where does Beth encounter Cindy?

4. What is the name of Beth and Robert's new town?

5. What color hair does Cindy have?

Short Essay Questions

1. Who is Patty Bancroft and why does she do the work she does?

2. What made Frannie start to entertain the idea of leaving her husband?

3. Why is Beth hesitant to allow Robert to go off by himself in the grocery store?

4. Who does Robert befriend as soon as they move into the duplex?

5. What is the premise of BLACK AND BLUE?

6. Why are Frannie and Robert waiting at a train station in Philadelphia?

7. Where is Beth and Robert's new home located and of what does it remind Beth?

8. Were there ever any good moments in Frannie's marriage to Bobby?

9. What is going on in Frannie's life at the time that she meets Patty Bancroft?

10. Why is Robert asked to leave the grocery store?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

What is the significance of the book's title? What are some other possible titles for the book. List at least five and cite your reasons for each.

Essay Topic 2

What is the primary setting for the novel? Be sure to include geography, time period and any pertinent popular culture events. Why did Quindlen choose to use this place in the novel?

Essay Topic 3

The author uses more than one iteration on the theme of disappointment. Identify at least two characters who either embody or experience disappointment; then cite an example to support your answers.

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