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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. Which of the following is not true about Eva's life?

2. On the day that Billy died, what happened that had happened many times before?

3. Why had Dennis accepted the bribe money all those years ago?

4. What does Dennis do after everyone is notified of Billy's death?

5. What is another important theme in this chapter?

Short Essay Questions

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

2. What is the setting for Chapter 7?

3. What happens when Maeve hears Dennis' voice in the house?

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

5. What is Dennis' daughter's relationship with Matt, the tenant's son?

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

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

8. What does Maeve recall about her first date with Billy?

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

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

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

In keeping with the title of CHARMING BILLY, what exactly did Billy do to earn that title? Cite three examples that support Billy's charm. Why did the author name the book CHARMING BILLY instead of something more haunting and perhaps more fitting for Billy's life?

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

The author uses several instances of irony in the book. One example is the funeral dinner held at a bar for Billy who died from alcohol poisoning. Cite at least three other examples you can identify in the story and note why they are examples of irony.

(see the answer keys)

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