Print
Word
PDF
|
| Name: _________________________ | Period: ___________________ |
This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.
Short Answer Questions
1. Who moves in with the narrator's family?
2. What does the narrator consider when he runs out of money?
3. How does the narrator insult his dance partner?
4. How long does the narrator spend in France after leaving his grandmother for the last time?
5. What does the narrator recount to Pashka?
Short Essay Questions
1. What catches the narrator's attention almost obsessively?
2. Who does the narrator notice while doing sequences and what does he notice about her?
3. What does the narrator learn from Mr. Bond about Charlotte in the last chapter?
4. What does the narrator do after he accidentally insults a girl at a dance?
5. Who is the only person in the narrator's class who treats him kindly?
6. Why does the narrator think he is being accepted by his classmates, what does he see as the three types of cliques in a crowd and how does his acceptance affect his writing?
7. How does Pashka feel about the narrator's new popularity and what does Pashka do about it?
8. How does the narrator feel about the women in the photo and how does he try to return to the comfort of his childhood?
9. What story does the narrator relate to Pashka?
10. How does Pashka almost drown once?
Essay Topics
Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:
Essay Topic 1
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?
Essay Topic 2
Discuss the following:
1. What do you think are the characteristics of a successful novel?
2. Analyze and discuss "Dreams of My Russian Summers" based upon the criteria you decide upon in #1 and judge if Dreams of My Russian Summers is a successful novel.
3. Do you think the criteria for a successful novel should be different if it is written for adults versus young adults? Why or why not? Would most adults consider "Dreams of My Russian Summers" a successful novel? What about young teens?
Essay Topic 3
Oftentimes, a book has more of a character-driven plot rather than action driven, and oftentimes the other way. Some books seem to balance the two. Discuss the following:
1. What do you think it means to say that a plot is character driven? Action driven?
2. How do you think a plot differs if it is character driven versus action driven?
3. Which type of plot do you find more interesting? Why?
4. Do you think it is possible to have a plot where action and character development share equal time? Why or why not.
5. What type of plot do you think "Dreams of My Russian Summers" is? Explain your response.
|
This section contains 1,257 words (approx. 5 pages at 300 words per page) |
|
