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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 is the whole village now doing in the evenings?

2. What did the residents of Hadleyburg teach their babies in the cradle?

3. Why does Mrs. Richards say they cannot find the right man?

4. What is the paper's foreman the local representative of?

5. What does Mr. Richards want to do with the money?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Mr. Richards react when he reads the stranger's note?

2. Why does Mr. Richards say Burgess is not as mean-spirited as the town thinks?

3. How does Burgess try to settle the dispute between Wilson and Burgess?

4. How does Edward prove himself not as honest as what he would have his wife to believe?

5. What does the stranger tell Mrs. Richards?

6. How does a minor citizen make everyone in the town hall erupt with laughter?

7. What does the stranger say should happen if his plan is successful?

8. Why can the boy not stop the mail?

9. How does a stranger try to get the 18 principals to bid for the sack?

10. How does the author describe the town hall on the day of the inquiry?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Examine the book's reception in three different countries including the country the book was written. How do their opinions about the books differ? Was the book more influential in one country than another? If so, why?

Essay Topic 2

Examine the author's writing style. How would you describe the author's prose style? What kind of vocabulary does he use? What meaning does the author's style give to the story?

Essay Topic 3

Look at the structure of the novel.

How does the author use character and dialogue to drive the narrative?

Discuss elements of the narrative structure; Exposition, conflict, complication, climax, resolution and conclusion. Do all the elements make for a logical and linear story? How does the story's structure express the novel's themes?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 743 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample