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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. Who suggests that the young man should try writing fantasy instead?

2. Why is the young writer upset?

3. Why does August stop the story before the storyteller can finish?

4. In 'Strange Little Girls' in the story 'Bonnie's Mother,' what has happened to Bonnie's mother?

5. Who are the other three men at the club on the night they tell each other ghost stories?

Short Essay Questions

1. In 'Bitter Grounds' why does the man become a demon?

2. What do the characters in 'Strange Little Girls' have in common?

3. Why is November upset at the end of the story, and how does October cheer him up?

4. Describe the steps that lead up to the narrator taking the professor's identity.

5. Is Amelia a sympathetic character?

6. Describe the character of Mr. Alice.

7. Do you think the gypsy woman in 'The Flints of Memory Lane' is a ghost? Did the boy imagine it all?

8. Is there a 'bad guy' in the story 'A Study in Emerald'?

9. In your opinion, what was Miss Finch's wish? Was it granted by the cabinet?

10. Describe the character of the detective in 'A Study in Emerald.'

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss characterization in two of the stories or poems in the collection. How has the author communicated what the characters are like, and how does he create sympathy for them? Do the characters act consistently? Do they seem like real people?

Essay Topic 2

In some of the stories and poems in this collection, the author plays with characters and stories that belong to other authors and other books. Discuss one or two of these, and explain what he has changed and what he has left the same. Has he included any surprises or twists? Is the story or poem effective, or does it seem to have deviated too much from the feel of the original? What is the author trying to achieve with these stories? Stories and poems you could choose to discuss include 'A Study in Emerald,' 'Harlequin Valentine,' 'The Problem of Susan,' 'Goliath' and 'Inventing Aladdin.'

Essay Topic 3

What is the meaning of the playhouse in the story 'Closing Time?' Is it evil? Does it represent or symbolize anything?

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