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. What is Marie's husband doing when she returns home after her last day of work?

2. Why does Marie collapse on the sidewalk in pain one day after work?

3. For how may weeks of work is Marie's last paycheck?

4. Aside from her age, in what ways does Marie feel she is different from other women Amir had dated?

5. Where did Marie's husband work before his recent retirement?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does the author describe the way Marie's work has damaged her hands and arms?

2. How is Marie's body impacted by her work over the years?

3. How does Marie feel about Evie's move? What does she keep as a memory of her friend?

4. Who is Amir? What is Marie's relationship with Amir?

5. How are some of the women Marie worked with over the years described? How did Marie feel about these women?

6. What is Marie's husband doing when she gets home? What work did he do and when did he retire?

7. What does Father James tell Marie about Amir and her relationship with him?

8. Why does Marie want to work a full shift on her last day? What does she want to do for herself?

9. How will Marie and her husband support themselves financially in retirement?

10. How old is Marie when she retires? What "peculiar honor" (8) does her boss give to her on her last day?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Why do you think Sherman Alexie wrote "Clean, Cleaner, Cleanest"? Write an essay explaining what you think the author wanted his readers to understand and feel after reading the story.

Essay Topic 2

Write an essay about Marie discussing her goals and motives. Does she achieve her motive? Does she share similar goals and motives with other characters? Do her goals clash with other characters? How do the characters goals and motives affect their interaction with each other?

Essay Topic 3

Write an essay analyzing the symbolic significance Marie's religion and relationship with Father James has on the story. Why is this important and how does it develop the themes of the story? Use examples from the text to support your viewpoint.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 742 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample