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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 'Good Boys Deserve Favors' what instrument does the narrator learn?

2. When they find a beautiful garden with a stream that looks like a fairy grotto, what does one of the boys do?

3. In 'Strange Little Girls' what does the policewoman in 'Monday's Child' find at the school?

4. What do they plan to do with Miss Finch?

5. In New Orleans, who does the narrator and another professor meet in a bar?

Short Essay Questions

1. How do the characteristics and personalities of the months in the story 'October in the Chair' reflect the different months of the year?

2. In the poem 'The Hidden Chamber,' is there anything that is actually hidden?

3. Why does the writer in 'Forbidden Brides...' enjoy writing about Amelia making toast?

4. Describe how the detective solves the mystery in 'A Study in Emerald.'

5. What do you think the three older boys in the ghost story are?

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

7. Who tells the story about the playhouse in 'Closing Time,' and what evidence is there that this person is the storyteller?

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

9. Describe the character of Mr. Alice.

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

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

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 2

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

Essay Topic 3

How is fairyland represented in the stories and poems in this collection? What does the author have to say about magic?

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