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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 month is it in the opening of Act I?

2. What kind of bread does Eugene’s mother tell him to get at the store in Act I?

3. How long ago does Eugene say Nora “started developing” in Act I?

4. Who played the role of Kate in the original cast of Brighton Beach Memoirs?

5. Laurie tells her mom in Act I that her teacher says glasses should be changed every how often?

Short Essay Questions

1. What do Nora and Laurie discuss while Eugene goes to the store in Act I?

2. How are Stanley’s actions revealed as honorable in Act I of the play?

3. How would you describe Eugene’s relationship with his family in Act I?

4. What do Kate and Blanche discuss alone downstairs after dinner in Act I?

5. Why does Eugene’s mother call him inside in the beginning of Act I? What does Eugene relate about his ambitions in this scene?

6. What dream does Eugene describe to Stanley in Act I? What is Stanley’s response?

7. What is the central conflict for Nora Morton in Act I of the play?

8. How is the Jerome house described in the stage directions for Act I? What comprises the first floor of the house?

9. What news does Nora Morton relate to the family when she arrives home in Act I?

10. What conversation do Jack and Stanley have at bedtime in Act I?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the theme of family in Brighton Beach Memoirs. How important is family to the characters in the story? What symbolism supports this theme? How does this theme evolve in the story?

Essay Topic 2

Describe and discuss playwright Neil Simon and the original production of Brighton Beach Memoirs. When was the play first produced and where? When did it move to Broadway? How long did it run before closing? How does this play compare with Simon’s other works?

Essay Topic 3

Analyze and discuss the character of Eugene Jerome in Brighton Beach Memoirs. How old is Eugene? What are his aspirations? What are his relationships like within his household and family? How does Eugene change in the story?

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