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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 does the narrator say he becomes afraid of as distance grows between the time spent with his lover and the present?

2. What "old" (22) thing does the narrator say he cannot look at without still feeling what he feels his lover?

3. What colors does the narrator use to describe his lover's hair when he recalls her looking up at him from the newspaper she was reading?

4. After including the time spent with his lover and thinking of her, how much does the narrator estimate their affair costs per hour?

5. What does the narrator note about his lover as he looks at her in bed when he first wakes?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe the narrators dream, which he has lying beside his lover.

2. What are the feelings the narrator experiences when he starts to lose the feeling of being with his lover?

3. What does the narrator note about his lover's skin when he talks about waking up and looking at her?

4. Why does the narrator choose not to kiss his lover's eyelids as he wants to while he watches her sleep?

5. After including the entire day he and his lover spend together and all the bits that add up, how much does he say he has spent per hour?

6. The narrator describes a moment in bed when his lover talked nonstop late into the night, her mouth close to his ear. How did he feel during that time?

7. Describe the image of the narrator's love in the coffee shop.

8. Based on what the narrator says he spent in the first few paragraphs, what did he and his lover do during their trip?

9. What is the narrator trying to break down at the start of the story?

10. How do the feelings about the narrator's affair linger after it ends at first?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Write an essay analyzing Davis's language style and word choice in "Break it Down." What are some words that stand out to you and why? What words are repeated? What words are most impactful? Explain your answers.

Essay Topic 2

Write a brief essay analyzing the the title "Break it Down." Explore the ways in which this title connects to the themes of the story.

Essay Topic 3

Write an essay analyzing narrative voice in Davis of "Break it Down." Include thoughts on how the narrative voice of the story is effective in conveying the story’s themes.

(see the answer keys)

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