View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. Maeve's father was Billy's first ______________________.

2. With whom does Dennis' daughter fall in love?

3. What is in Dennis' personnel file?

4. When does Dennis lose his faith?

5. Maeve learns that Billy's body has been taken to _____________________.

Short Essay Questions

1. How does this chapter exemplify the differences between how families have changed between Dennis' generation and that of his children?

2. What does the episode with the black minister remind Dennis of?

3. What does Maeve share about the night that Billy died?

4. How did a friendship between Maeve and Dennis begin to form?

5. What does Dan share about Billy and Maeve's relationship the night of the funeral?

6. What shocking information does Billy get in the flashback in Chapter 12?

7. Explain the symbolism of the postcard Billy sent Maeve many years ago.

8. How does Dennis' faith in Billy's dream extend past practicality?

9. What happens when Dennis makes a service call to a black church?

10. Explain the role of Maeve's father in her relationship with Billy.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Explain the role of religion in the characters' lives. What is the primary religion of the main characters? How do the characters practice their faith? Does it shake them when their faith waxes and wanes in their lives? Cite examples.

Essay Topic 2

Alcohol abuse seems to be an unnamed character in the book. How pervasive is the abuse? Why does it have such a prevalent place in the characters' lives? How does it affect the abusers? How does it affect those impacted by the abusers? Explain how an inanimate object or characteristic can be a character.

Essay Topic 3

Create a character study of Billy Lynch. What are his physical characteristics? What are his motivations? What are his fears? What are his dreams? What else can you say about Billy?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,105 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample