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

Short Answer Questions

1. In "How Distant," what departure does the poem mention?

2. In the poem "The Large Cool Store," what does the store sell?

3. In "The Card-Players," what does Jan van Hogspeuw do?

4. In "Friday Night at the Royal Station Hotel," where have the salesmen gone?

5. In the poem "Sympathy in White Major," what does the narrator say is not his favorite color?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Larkin uses nature often in his poetry. Using at least two poems, write an essay that explains his comparison of human characteristics vs. those of nature.

Essay Topic 2

A common topic in Larkin's collection "The Whitsun Weddings" is heartbreak. Write an essay on the theme of heartbreak in this collection, using at least two examples in your argument.

Essay Topic 3

Measuring oneself against another is a popular theme in the collection "The Whitsun Weddings." Using at least three poems from the collection, write an essay on this theme.

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