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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 Kologrivov help Lara find?

2. In chapter one, Yura's father jumps from which type of vehicle?

3. What part of life in Varykino does Yuri enjoy the most?

4. Whom does Yuri see in Yuriatin?

5. How does Evgraf help Yuri's family during the winter?

Short Essay Questions

1. What happens when Yuri finally visits Lara at her house in Varykino?

2. Why does Lara follow Pasha to the front lines?

3. Describe what happens to Yura during and after his mother's funeral.

4. Why might people exhibit extreme behavior during a time of war that they would not exhibit in peacetime?

5. How do Yuri and his family get food and supplies for their trip to Varykino?

6. How could Yuri's life have been different if he had not tried to return to Lara the night he was conscripted by the Red Army?

7. Describe Yuri's arrest.

8. With the Russian economy in ruins, how do people survive?

9. Describe how the snow is cleared from the train tracks.

10. Why does Lara enter a relationship with a much older man?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

How do changes in the Russian economy affect the choices and actions that characters make in the story? Cite specific examples of decisions made and actions taken as a direct result of economic need. How do changes in the Russian economy affect the moral development of characters in the story?

Essay Topic 2

In the book, character and events seem to coincidentally occur at just the right (or wrong) time. What role does fate play in Yuri's life? What role does fate play in Lara's life? Give specific examples from the book.

Essay Topic 3

Komarovsky keeps appearing to Lara unwanted and uninvited. How do Komarovsky's actions affect the development of his character in the story? How does his influence affect Lara and her daughter, Tania?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 801 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample