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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 did Nancy know she had to do to avoid being dumped by her boyfriend?

2. How did Nancy think she looked in her outfit?

3. What was Carolyn wearing when she was initially arrested?

4. What does Wally keep by his phone to help prompt him to refuse the many solicitations he gets to support different causes?

5. What did Nancy put on to go to her temp job?

Short Essay Questions

1. How did Nancy's family disintegrate and how did Nancy manage being alone with her abusive mother?

2. What was Wally's reasoning for not being able to refuse Marge Cohen's call to come to York Correctional Institution?

3. How did Nancy describe Isadore's life?

4. Why did Nancy not like the book, "Wind, Sand, and Stars" by Antoine de Saint-Exupery even though she had enjoyed his "The Little Prince"?

5. What trauma did Tabatha endure from the age of four and how did she get introduced to pot and alcohol?

6. When did Wally Lamb know that he wanted to be a teacher, and in which type of students was he particularly interested?

7. What were some of the inconsistencies in Tabatha Rowley's life as she was growing up?

8. What did Nancy feel she had to do to keep her boyfriend?

9. Describe Carolyn's initial perceptions of prison life and what humiliations did she endure?

10. Describe how Nancy and Isadore were complete opposites.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The authors use more than one iteration on the theme of disappointment. Identify at least two characters in the stories who either embody or experience disappointment then cite an example to support your answers.

Essay Topic 2

Several of the women's stories are classic stories of loss and renewal. What does that classification entail? Why do some of the stories fit into this category? Explain.

Essay Topic 3

The theme of struggling with personal identity is an important one in this book. Describe how it extends through setting, characters and issues and provide examples for each.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,073 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample