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. Music from what famous musician is playing in the beginning of "The Sewers of Salt Lake?"

2. The man sends the girl to which type of establishment?

3. What type of animal is found and fed in the sewer?

4. What critter does the dog bring back to the family home?

5. What word does the man use to describe the drama regarding the hero and heroine of the story?

Short Essay Questions

1. Discuss the life of the young girl in "The Restraints."

2. What happens to the babies in "The Parents?"

3. What is the thing that seems to bother the woman most in "The Haircut?"

4. Discuss the interruptions faced by the man in "The Continuity of Parks."

5. Discuss what might happen after the owner finds the dead rabbit in "Here's Another Ending."

6. Girl: The mother gives the daughter several references about becoming what?

7. What holiday tragedy happens to Franky Gorky in "The Nicest Kid in the Universe?"

8. What realization does the widow come to in regards to her missing husband?

9. Vines: Discuss the man's main issue in "Vines" and what he says to his wife. How does the wife respond?

10. What happens when Louise finds Teddy on the floor in "Teddy's Canary?"

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

A couple argues incessantly in "Blackberries." Why does the couple argue? Study the couple's dynamic to understand why they argue constantly. Are the issues they argue about important? Does the couple argue simply to argue? What can be done to change the couple's dynamic? Can the couple's relationship possibly be healthy? Also investigate how two people can argue without being hurtful, e.g., using "I" statements.

Essay Topic 2

here are two poems that deal with trains: "Love Poems" and "The Burlington Northern, Southbound." Discuss the use of trains as imagery and how the inspire each author. Also discuss trains as a metaphor and how they are or are not appropriate to the stories. Research and find other poems using trains, e.g., Alan Ginsberg's "Sunflower Sutra," to compare and contrast. Which is the best use of a train as an inspiration and/or image?

Essay Topic 3

"Snapshot, Harvey Cedars: 1948" tells the tale of a woman's memories of her parents. The woman looks at a family photo fondly, remembering her dad's dreams of becoming a builder. The mother's body language is telling and unusual. Examine the mother's body language in the photo and the daughter's views. Do you think it is possible that the woman had some type of premonition or is the woman's body language a coincidence? If the woman had a premonition, do you think she was aware of it? Study the possibilities. Examine the daughter's thoughts regarding her father's suicide.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,018 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample