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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 does the minister give Dennis to ensure the work get completed sooner?

2. Dan tells Dennis and his daughter that no one thought Billy would ________________________.

3. Who sits all night with Maeve on the night that Billy dies?

4. How many children does Eva have?

5. What is Billy's attitude when he approaches Dennis about the deception about Eva?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Dennis do on the day that Billy dies?

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

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

4. How does the theme of love extend in Chapter 8?

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

6. What does Maeve recall doing to insure that she would see Billy more than once?

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

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

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

10. How would Billy's life had been different had he married Eva, at least according to Dan Lynch?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Describe the setting for the novel. Be sure to include geography, time period and any pertinent popular culture events. Why did the writer choose this setting?

Essay Topic 2

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?

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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