View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What color streak does Janice have in her hair in "Reunion"?

2. How many statues of Thomas Jefferson does Simone say there are on the Missouri campus?

3. Where does RA Tom have a meeting with Claude's entire floor in "Icebreaker"?

4. What flowers does Janice give Claude at graduation?

5. What is the name of the girl who is from the same place as RA Tom?

Short Essay Questions

1. Where are Claude and Simone to work at the journalism office, and how is their space set up?

2. Why does Claude leave the journalism office in "Sociology #1" and how is he feeling?

3. How does Claude describe the stop the bus makes in Springfield?

4. Who is Charles Doyle, why does Paul fight him, and what happens when Paul fights him?

5. In "Sociology #1," what does Claude feel about conversations on campus as he walks to the journalism office?

6. Why has Janice come to Missouri?

7. What does Claude say happened to Chester Dexter?

8. In "The Prairie Executioner #2," what does Claude do when he goes back to his dorm room?

9. Why does Claude try to call Janice in "Interlude"?

10. What routes does the bus take that Claude rides to Missouri and what does Claude see?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

In the novel, some characters are more thoroughly described than others. Who are some characters that are merely named in passing or have a minor role in the novel? What is the importance of these flat characters to the storyline? In what way do these characters make the main characters more colorful or interesting? When there is conflict, what type of role do these flat characters play?

Essay Topic 2

Flashbacks are a literary device used to provide information about events that took place before the story began. How does the author use flashbacks in the novel? How does the author’s choice to use flashback affect the plot?

Essay Topic 3

Grandma and Paul encourage Claude and Janice to be independent. How do Grandma and Paul encourage Claude and Janice to be independent? What are the benefits of being raised to be independent? How do Claude and Janice benefit from the way that Grand and Paul raised them to be independent?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,028 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample