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This test consists of 5 multiple choice questions, 5 short answer questions, and 10 short essay questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What is Helen wearing when Ballard sees her in the yard at Northolt station?
(a) A white raincoat.
(b) A black suit.
(c) A red dress.
(d) A green jacket.

2. What does Ballard realize about his first meeting with Vaughan?
(a) That his motives for following him have nothing to do with revenge or blackmail.
(b) That his motives for following him have everything to do with revenge and blackmail.
(c) That his motive for following him has something to do with revenge, but not blackmail.
(d) That his motive for following him has something to do with blackmail, but not revenge.

3. According to Ballard, Catherine's driving becomes what after his release from the hospital?
(a) Slow.
(b) Worse.
(c) Better.
(d) Fast.

4. What is the name of the park where Ballard and Catherine's apartment is located?
(a) Drake.
(b) Drayton.
(c) Dresden.
(d) Drummond.

5. Why does Ballard recognize the man taking pictures of him as Vaughan?
(a) Because he is a TV star.
(b) Because he is a government official.
(c) Because he is a famous writer.
(d) Because he is a notorious criminal.

Short Answer Questions

1. Where do Helen and Ballard's trysts take place?

2. Who did the man killed in the car crash with Ballard work for?

3. What is the name of Ballard's wife?

4. Why is Ballard skeptical about Helen working for the Road Research Laboratory?

5. In the hospital, what contained the "hundred histories of collision and bereavement" according to Ballard?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Ballard crash his car and why is it significant?

2. What kind of car does Ballard buy after his accident and what does it signify?

3. What is the chronology of the novel and why is it significant?

4. How do Ballard, Helen, and Vaughan react to Seagrave's accident at the stock-car races and why is it significant?

5. Where does Ballard take Renata after his release from the hospital and why?

6. What kind of pleasure did Vaughan derive from car crashes and how is it significant?

7. How does Dr. Robert Vaughan interrupt Ballard's rendezvous with the prostitute and why is it important?

8. Why is Dr. Robert Vaughan wanted by the police and how is it significant?

9. Why does Ballard wear a seat belt when he crashes his car and how is it significant?

10. What is the significance of the airport in "Crash"?

(see the answer keys)

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