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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. Upon what horse that Carey rode were her bike combination numbers based?

2. Where in the city did Carey's family live?

3. Who was Carey's trainer in the races?

4. What Trojan hero did Achilles slay outside the gates of Troy in the Trojan War?

5. Where did Carey win her first race?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is the framing device that is used in the novel?

2. Who is Claudia Kirkby and what is her importance in the novel?

3. What is the symbolic significance of Carey's bike lock?

4. Why does Clay blame himself for Carey's death?

5. How did Penelope respond when Matthew refused to practice piano in his youth?

6. What role did Clay play in Penelope's death?

7. What does the clothing peg carried by Clay represent?

8. What does the bridge signify in the novel?

9. What illness did Penelope develop and how did it affect her?

10. Why did Clay begin disappearing after Penelope's death? What did Matthew do about it?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the symbolism of the typewriter in Bridge of Clay. Who originally owned the typewriter? Where is it found by Matthew? What does it mean to the Dunbar family?

Essay Topic 2

Analyze and discuss the character of Matthew Dunbar. How old is Michael in the prologue and epilogue of the novel? What are his relationships like with his brothers? How does he feel about his parents? How does Matthew's character evolve in the course of the story?

Essay Topic 3

Identify three examples of imagery in Bridge of Clay (simile, metaphor, onomatopoeia, etc.). What is being described? How does each example serve the reader? What effects do these comparisons have?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 671 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample