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 did Adam NOT have immediately after birth, according to the story?

2. John and Martha begin to fight over their ________ for their child, according to the story.

3. What is coming to an end, which is why John is being pushed in a certain direction by others?

4. Where did Martha decide to take Adam, in response to the information she got from her dream?

5. What does John's dissertation advisor say that John will never get because he allowed Martha to have the baby?

Short Essay Questions

1. What made it easier for Martha to grieve the loss of her normal child when she was visiting family?

2. What was the magical experience that John has which caused him to be supportive of the pregnancy?

3. What happened when Martha and John were able to hold Adam and the pediatrician comes in?

4. What happened to Martha when she first arrived at the hospital with John?

5. What was Martha surprised to learn about Sibyl when she told her about the diagnosis of Adam?

6. Why didn't Martha go to the emergency room when she was ill and bleeding profusely?

7. What began to happen when John was in Asia for his consulting job?

8. What happened after John spoke with his dissertation adviser that day?

9. What did Martha decide to do when she was heading over to see the nurse practitioner?

10. What happened to delay John's return to Martha and to his family?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Martha Beck decided not to leave her apartment, even as there was a fire below her apartment, even though she had her daughter with her.

Part 1: Why do you think that Martha decided to wait to leave the apartment?

Part 2: How would you have responded to the fire that was below your apartment?

Part 3: What seems strange to you about this moment in Martha's life?

Essay Topic 2

During the fire, Martha feels that she is being rescued from the fire, though she never sees a rescuer when she leaves.

Part 1: What do you think happened to Martha when she was pushed from the building?

Part 2: Do you think that a person actually helped Martha?

Part 3: How do you explain the experience that Martha had? Ghosts? Angels? Luck?

Essay Topic 3

Martha can not understand why Deirdre would want to stay with a man who was cruel to her.

Part 1: Why do you think Deirdre decided to stay with a person who was cruel to her?

Part 2: Would you want to stay with a person who was cruel to her?

Part 3: Make an argument for a person to stay with someone who is mean to them, whether it's physical or mental abuse.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 696 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample