View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 multiple choice questions, 5 short answer questions, and 10 short essay questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. In what city does this story take place?
(a) New York City.
(b) Boston.
(c) Los Angeles.
(d) Miami.

2. What happens to the Giacomin house two days following the argument about the role of the modern women?
(a) Some men come to kidnap Paul.
(b) Patty apologizes to Spenser and asks him to leave.
(c) Patty gets angry at Spenser and demands that he leave the house.
(d) Paul tries to run away.

3. What favor does Patty ask of Spenser in Chapter 5?
(a) That Spenser move in as their permanent bodyguard.
(b) That Spenser serve Mel with a restraining order.
(c) That Spenser take Paul out to dinner because she has plans.
(d) That Spenser stay the night and protect her and Paul.

4. In Chapter 8, what does Spenser do after breakfast?
(a) Take a walk.
(b) Go to his office and check his messages.
(c) Go out for a run.
(d) Take a nap.

5. How does the narrator enter the building in Chapter 3?
(a) By breaking in.
(b) By ringing the bell and posing as a messenger.
(c) By knocking on the door and acting like a census taker.
(d) By walking in through the open front door.

Short Answer Questions

1. Who were some of the narrator's new neighbors?

2. Who leaves with the narrator in Chapter 3?

3. After solving the kidnapping case, when does Spenser hear from Patty again?

4. What is the narrator hired to do in Chapter 1?

5. What does Spenser do for dinner the first night that Patty is away in New York?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Spenser's rescue plan for Patty and Paul along with its execution show us about yet another part of Spenser's personality?

2. What does the discussion that Patty and Spenser have in Chapter 8 reveal to the audience about Patty's real character?

3. In Chapter 6 we are introduced to Spenser's girlfriend, Susan Silverman. What type of a person does she seem to be, and how does that contrast or compliment Spenser's personality?

4. Based on what we read in Chapter 2, what types of personal qualities would be necessary to handle Spenser's job? Why?

5. What type of person does Mel Giacomin appear to be?

6. What do Paul Giacomin's feelings for his parents appear to be?

7. How does Spenser diffuse the situation between himself, Buddy, and Harold in Chapter 11?

8. What type of person does the narrator seem to be?

9. What does Spenser's preparation of the impromptu meal in Chapter 9 reveal about his character?

10. In Chapter 11, Spenser and Paul have a discussion about why Spenser did not shoot the intruders. What does Spenser tell Paul about his reluctance to shoot Buddy and Harold?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,587 words (approx. 6 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample