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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. Which sport do Farrington and his friends engage in to prove their strength?

2. What is the setting as "Clay" begins?

3. What does Maria buy as a special gift for Joe and his wife?

4. Mr. Alleyne's accent signifies that he comes from where?

5. What do the two neighbor girls of "Clay" bring to share with everyone?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does the group of men in "Ivy Day in the Committee Room" meet to discuss?

2. What happens when Farrington returns to his desk after the first time in the story Mr. Alleyne reprimands him?

3. How does Mrs. Kernan deal with her husband's drinking bouts?

4. Describe the quality of the concerts.

5. Describe Farrington's relationship with his family.

6. How does Mrs. Sinico die?

7. How does Farrington spend his evening?

8. Describe Mr. O'Connor's appearance in "Ivy Day in the Committee Room".

9. What is the relationship between Maria, Joe, and Alphy in "Clay"?

10. How does Little Chandler handle his crying baby?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Describe Eveline's life as it currently stands and as it may have been if she had gone to Buenos Aires with Frank. Why does she choose to stay in Dublin? Explain. Do you think she chooses well, or should she have chosen to go with Frank?

Essay Topic 2

Describe why you believe Joyce chose the title "Clay" for his story involving Maria and her trip to visit her good friends. Support your arguments with evidence from the story. Remember, you may argue any perspective that you believe to be true, as long as you can defend it well; therefore, you should not hesitate to stretch your critical thinking skills and consider subtle possibilities.

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the relationship between wealth and high culture in "After the Race." Which characters represent wealth? Which characters represent high culture? How do they relate to one another, and which one gets more out of the relationship? Defend your opinions thoroughly.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 839 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample