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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. Where do people always seem to think Kate is from?

2. What do the twins in ""The Mark of Cain" do for a living?

3. What is Sarah's secret about her heritage?

4. What is Bianca drawn to on the playground on her first date with her husband?

5. What kind of car does William Livingston III drive?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is the background of the narrator's boyfriend, Gus, bringing her plastic body parts in the story "Baby Arm"?

2. What is the basis of Carolina's and Savvie's strong bond in "I Will Follow You"?

3. In the story "Difficult Women," what is it about death that makes girls more interesting?

4. Why does the young, working-class couple watch reality television in the story "Florida"?

5. What does Kate's elderly landlady tell her in the story "North Country" when she meets her for the first time?

6. What do Bianca's parents do with her when she is a baby?

7. Why is William Livingston briefly appalled when he finds out that Sarah is mixed-race in "La Negra Blanca"?

8. What is the real reason that Carolina insists Savvie accompany her to find Darryl in Reno?

9. Why do Savvie and Carolina not have to worry about money or finances?

10. What does Marcy like about the exercise classes in the story "Florida"?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Write an essay analyzing the metaphors Gay uses in the story "The Sacrifice of Darkness" to explain the desperation and subjugation of the working classes. Cite specific references from the text in your answer.

Essay Topic 2

Write an essay analyzing how Father Michael Patrick Minty's character faults and flaws in the story "Bad Priest" are related to his position of power, authority and prestige in the church. What does Gay seem to be trying to say about religion and faith through her depiction of Father Minty's character?

Essay Topic 3

In several stories, including "North Country," "Break All the Way Down," and "Strange Gods," stillbirth or the sudden, tragic loss of a very young child are recurring themes. Write an essay analyzing how Gay uses the topic of grief over a child's death to develop the main characters in several of her stories, citing specific examples to the text in your answer.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 841 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample