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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 does Alfonso drink after Sonya is murdered?

2. To whom does Alfonso thank for the deafness of the townspeople?

3. In “The Map of Bones and Open Valves,” the townspeople act deaf, so the soldiers begin doing what?

4. As Sonya shouts, and the townspeople see in her cry and gaping mouth, what does the poet say can be seen?

5. Alfonso says that Sonya’s voice, although it cannot be heard, is what?

Short Essay Questions

1. In “Alfonso Stands Answerable,” to whom does Alfonso say he is answerable?

2. In “A Dog Sniffs,” what happens to Sonya?

3. Why are puppets hung outside the homes of some of the townspeople?

4. What does the speaker say in “For His Wife”?

5. In “4 a.m. Bombardment,” what is Alfonso doing?

6. In “While the Child Sleeps, Sonya Undresses,” what does Sonya say about Alfonso’ appearance?

7. What happens in “Central Square?”

8. What takes place in “Soldiers Aim at Us?”

9. What happens in “Arrival”?

10. What does the speaker say in “A Cigarette” about the townspeople?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Sonya's last word is, "Ready!" What does this and her previous actions, as well as silence, reveal about her? How is she both a heroine and a martyr? How do her actions compare to those of many of her fellow townspeople? Are most people likely to be like Sonya? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 2

The first person shot and killed is a young deaf boy. What leads to his death? Why might he have acted this way? Do you see this as brave or foolish? Why or why not? Might he have realized the repercussions of his actions? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 3

In less than a year the lives of the Vasenka townspeople are turned upside down. Sonya is taken from her baby and murdered three days postpartum. What is the impact of this quick decline in the town of Vasenka on the reader? What does this say about one's own safety and security? What does this also reveal about what humans are capable of doing to other humans?

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