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

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What does Yankel wear that distinguishes him from everyone else?
(a) An incriminating abacus bead on a string.
(b) An innocent white flower in his lapel.
(c) A black tie.
(d) A blue bowler hat with a black ribbon.

2. Who is Little Igor?
(a) Alex's bookie.
(b) Alex's brother.
(c) The bad guy.
(d) Alex's father.

3. What ailment does Grandfather claim to have?
(a) He claims to be deaf.
(b) He claims to have a trick knee.
(c) He claims to have a broken toe.
(d) He claims to be blind.

4. Where does Grandfather suggest Jonathan go to fall in love?
(a) Miami.
(b) Odessa.
(c) Kolki.
(d) New York.

5. Concerning marriage, what does Yankel request of Brod?
(a) He asks her to never get married.
(b) He asks that she choose someone rich.
(c) He asks that she choose someone for love.
(d) He asks her to wait until he dies.

Short Answer Questions

1. In "The Lottery, 1791," where are the men when in the synagogue?

2. Where does Alex keep the money that he saves?

3. What is The Book of Recurrent Dreams?

4. What is the official name of the shtetl?

5. What are the Ukrainians celebrating when Jonathan arrives?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe the relationship between Alex and his father.

2. Alex tells Jonathan that he "did not amputate Sammy Davis, Junior, Junior from the story" (55) despite Jonathan's request that he do so. Why would Jonathan not want SDJJ in the story? Why does Alex keep her?

3. Describe Brod and her relationship with the townspeople.

4. What types of things does Yankel write in order to remember who he is? Why does he write about these memories?

5. The synagogue has some strange features. Describe some of them.

6. Name two things Alex claims to be, but that we might suspect he is exaggerating. Explain your response.

7. Describe the lottery drawn in "The Lottery, 1791." What do you think of the "lottery"? Explain your reasoning.

8. In "Falling in Love, 1791 -1796," we learn that Yankel's wife has left him. What are her motivations and what do you think of this?

9. What clues tell the reader that Brod is having a vision of the future in "Recurrent Secrets, 1791-1943"?

10. By the end of "The Very Rigid Search," Alex has yelled at Jonathan twice. Describe these incidents. What is significant about these outbursts?

(see the answer keys)

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