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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. Why does Perry have to take Judson with him to the Haefle holiday party?

2. When Clem is stressed about college school work, what does he do instead of studying?

3. When Clem was growing up, he says that his father used to yell at him but did not do what?

4. Who was the salesman Marion meets on her job and has an affair with at the car dealership?

5. What is the adult vodka mixed drink that Perry drinks at the Haefle party?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does Russ refuse to talk to Ambrose after Russ’s humiliation event?

2. Why do Frances and Russ ignore Pastor Theo Crenshaw’s advice to leave the neighborhood boy Ronnie alone?

3. Why does Marion still feel obsessed with Bradley 30 years after their love affair?

4. Marion always said that Shirley had no use for women, and only wanted men in her life. How does Marion end up being the same way in her own life?

5. How does Clem realize Russ is “blackening” Rick Ambrose’s name?

6. Why does Becky say that Shirley’s death was like that of Eleanor Rigby?

7. Why does Russ wear his old work coat when he is around Frances?

8. Why does Clem feel that he has exhausted his relationship with Becky?

9. What effect does the author present by mentioning Russ’s “humiliation” in the early pages of the book, but not explaining what happened for several hundred pages into the reading?

10. Why does Perry want to join the Crossroads group, and why does Ambrose tell Becky he disapproves of Perry joining?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Write an essay on why Russ ran away from Frances when they were smoking marijuana in her kitchen, when she was obviously trying to get him in the mood to have sex. It was what Russ had said he had wanted from Frances, but why did he fail to have sex with her in her house, when given the chance? What did this say about Russ’s character and integrity?

Essay Topic 2

Write an essay that recalls all of the reasons that Perry gives to show that he is doomed, and that his life has little hope of getting better.

Essay Topic 3

Write an essay as to why Becky felt throughout most of the novel that her parents were working in concert to ruin her life. All teens may feel this way from time to time, but what concrete evidence did Becky have that her parents were out to get her and make her perpetually unhappy?

(see the answer keys)

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