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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. How do Larry and Sally find Charity to be?

2. What concerns Sid about Charity?

3. How does Larry occupy his time in the summer?

4. How many children do Charity and her husband have?

5. What does one of the other professors call Larry?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why have Larry and Sally come to visit Sid and Charity?

2. Describe Sid's first encounter with Charity's mother.

3. Explain the different attitudes of Sid's and Larry's fathers regarding their sons' professions?

4. How do Larry and Sally celebrate their good news?

5. What is Larry's first recollection of meeting Charity?

6. Explain the level of apprehension that Larry and Sally feel before going to a party at Sid and Charity's house.

7. What happens that gives Larry a bad premonition?

8. How does the evening of the party end for the Morgans and the Langs?

9. Describe the first year in Madison for Sally and Larry.

10. What is the setting for the beginning of the novel?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Even though Larry is an accomplished writer and wonderful teacher, he still feels insecure in his university position. Explain why Larry feels that he does not measure up to the others in the department? Is it something they have done to him or do his insecurities stem from himself?

Essay Topic 2

The Adam and Eve metaphor continues when Sally gets ill. Why does Larry know that they are about to be "banished from paradise?" What is the outcome of Larry's premonition? Is he right or wrong? Explain.

Essay Topic 3

Even though he had wanted some alone time to write, Larry finds himself miserable when Sally spends the summer in Vermont. Is this a classic case of "Be careful what you wish for?" Explain.

(see the answer keys)

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