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

Short Answer Questions

1. What type of music is often played by the roommates?

2. in "The Paring Knife," how long had the knife been under the refrigerator?

3. The girl receives so many ____ that she begins to collect them.

4. The boys cover the birds with which of the following:

5. How long had the couple been married in "The Haircut?"

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Henry Dobbins use as a way of protecting himself while at war? What happens that might change the talisman?

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

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

4. Why was the man so distraught in "The Paring Knife?"

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

6. Girl: Discuss some of the items that the girl must learn to do in the home.

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

8. "Here" describes a neighborhood in which everyone is friendly but does not socialize. Describe the neighborhood.

9. Discuss the findings of the parents in "The Sewers of Salt Lake."

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

In "Grace Period," a man spots a bright light on the horizon. The man can feel the earth rumble as the light gets brighter. No one answers the phone. Discuss what you think is happening. Do you think the bright light is a UFO? Do you think the man is frightened or hallucinating? Compare the story to others that begin the same way and end up with alien abduction. Also watch and review television shows that portray alien abductions.

Essay Topic 2

"Flash Fiction: Very Short Stories by James Thomas" contains many stories by many different authors. The only criterion is that the story must meet a certain word count, typically around 750 but no more than 1,000. Examine any common threads that are found within the collection. Are there any similar trains of thought, style or format? Review each story with those things in mind and make a list of connecting ties.

Essay Topic 3

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?

(see the answer keys)

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