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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. In the city where Chanel was born, what was August known as?

2. Who was the first of Chanel's family to work as a peddler?

3. What influenced the design of men's clothes when Chanel was growing up?

4. At what age did Chanel meet Etienne Balsan?

5. What is described as one of Chanel's most scandalous affairs?

Short Essay Questions

1. What caused the decline and collapse of French rural communities in the 1800s?

2. How did Chanel's relationships with aristocrats influence her work?

3. What had Chanel's family done for generations?

4. Who was named as the fashion-setters at the end of the 1800s?

5. In business terms, how important was Chanel's relationship with Arthur "Boy" Capel?

6. How was Chanel able to achieve success even through World War II?

7. Where did Chanel go after leaving the convent?

8. What did Chanel's father do for a living?

9. What was significant about August in Saumer?

10. What are some pieces of fashionable styles for men named in the Introduction of the book?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Describe the setting of the book. How did the setting and the environment that Chanel was a part of affect her outlook and design aesthetic? What was going on in the world of fashion in France at the start of her career that allowed Chanel to become successful? Would Chanel have been as successful if she were from a different country? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the conclusion of Chanel and Her World. Describe the last years of Chanel's career. Was Chanel successful until the end of her life? Did she remain as hardworking and innovative as she was in her earlier years before her exile?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the Belle Époque. What is it and when did it occur? How does the fashion and opulence of that time period compare to the fashion of Chanel? Why did the Belle Époque come to an end?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 712 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample