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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. In "Gussie," where is Gussie sleeping in her grandparents' apartment?

2. What day of the week does Isaac think that Joseph tells his secretary, Mrs. Simons, about Florence's death?

3. Where was Florence going to college?

4. How many children do Isaac's parents have?

5. How many exclamation marks did Gussie use after Florence's name on a note she leaves in the entry way of her grandparents' apartment?

Short Essay Questions

1. Three days after Florence dies, who does Joseph realize need to know that she is gone?

2. What is the history behind Stuart's father's hotel?

3. When did Isaac's parents arrive in Alliance, and why did they struggle there?

4. Why does Fannie find her mother exhausting to be around sometimes?

5. What do Joseph and Esther do after Florence's graveside service?

6. What happens to Florence?

7. What does Esther decide about telling Fannie that Florence has died?

8. Why does Isaac feel guilty about Hyram's early birth and death?

9. Why is Gussie staying with her grandparents for the summer?

10. Why does Joseph rent a beach chair for a week in "Joseph"?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Isaac and Fannie have been married for eight years. Do Isaac or Fannie seem content in their marriage? What type of relationship do they have?

Essay Topic 2

Characters struggle with their day-to-day lives after Florence’s death. Why do characters struggle with their day-to-day lives after Florence’s death? How do they go on with life and find new beginnings? Does Fannie's baby help them find new beginnings?

Essay Topic 3

Idioms are words that have a figurative, rather than a literal meaning. How does the author use idioms in the book? Why are the idioms sometimes difficult to understand? Why do the idioms often require research to understand their meaning? Why are idioms especially difficult for Anna to understand?

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This section contains 993 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample