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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 does Albertine believe she will ultimately end up?

2. Who does the narrator curse at a dinner party?

3. What does Charlotte see one day after she has been to the market buying spices?

4. How old is Charlotte the last time she speaks to Albertine?

5. Who is Felix Faure?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Charlotte end up returning to Russia and what is her response when she arrives there?

2. What is the narrator allowed to do when he is 14?

3. Where does the narrator go for the summer and what is a tale she relates to the narrator on his first night there?

4. What political importance is lost to the children?

5. What happens after the death of Norbert?

6. What memories of women does the narrator think about?

7. What happens when Charlotte meets up with a soldier while she is on her way to Boyarsk?

8. How does Albertine surprise Charlotte one day and what is left behind?

9. What happens after the children are put to bed?

10. Why does the narrator break into his grandmother's Siberian Suitcase?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Titles often play a vital role in making a person decide to read a particular book. Discuss the following:

1. Fully explain why you think "Dreams of My Russian Summers" is titled as such. Do you think it is the best title for the book? Why or why not? Can you think of a better title? Why would you choose it?

2. How important is a title in influencing you to consider reading a book? Explain your answer.

3. Do you think a title needs to have direct relevance to a book's content? Explain your answer.

4. Have you ever read a book that when you finished, you do not understand the relevance of the title? Does it discourage you from "trusting" that particular author again?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss one of the following:

1. Trace and analyze the theme of growth in "Dreams of My Russian Summers". Consider the following questions as you write: What characters are most concerned with growth? Why? What are some symbols of growth? Symbols of rigidity? What characters seem rigid?

2. Trace and analyze the theme of courage in "Dreams of My Russian Summers". Which characters struggle with this issue? Why? Which characters seem to possess courage? Why?

3. Trace and analyze the theme of death in "Dreams of My Russian Summers". Consider not only the physical deaths but the death of innocence or the death of ignorance.

Essay Topic 3

Many novels, and perhaps a majority, of novels ends on a happy note. Discuss the following:

1. Why do you think many (most?) people want what they perceive as a happy or good ending to a novel? Explain your opinion. Do you? Why or why not?

2. What are three reasons to read fiction? Discuss each one in light of "Dreams of My Russian Summers" and whether or not it fulfills all three, two or one of the reasons you mention. Give examples as to why "Dreams of My Russian Summers" is or is not successful in fulfilling the reasons you discuss.

3. Do you think reading solely for entertainment is as good a reason to read as any other? Why or why not? Can any work of fiction or non-fiction, no matter how poorly written, enlighten, teach, stimulate thought? Why or why not?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 990 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample