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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. From what profession is Austin retired?

2. Karin answers Austin's phone and a man tells her that Austin will be picked up at a place called __________________.

3. Who was Georgia's husband?

4. What is the profession of the man in #136?

5. What do Anita and the woman in #164 have in common?

Short Essay Questions

1. What sad event does the snowstorm prompt Karin to recall and why does she take Austin to the lake to photograph the ice?

2. How did Margot get even with Reuel after his affair with their babysitter and manage to get all the things she had ever wanted in life?

3. What kind of world does the boat at night represent for Averill, and how does she incorporate the captain into this world?

4. How does Karin think that her ex-husband, Brent, has facilitated Austin's departure from his church?

5. Who is Miles and what is his relationship with Georgia?

6. What was the source of the falling out between Georgia and Maya, causing them to never speak again?

7. What does an older and divorced Joan learn about Matilda when she returns home to tend to her mother's grave?

8. What story does the captain tell about two sister who once traveled on the ship?

9. Why has Anita come to her hometown and what does she recall about her childhood and about stopping for coffee with her friend, Margot, on their way to school?

10. Why had Teresa come to Canada and what troubles has she had in her marriage to Reuel?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Choose three characters from different stories and then project into the future ten years and write a brief synopsis for their lives. Be sure to include geography, marital status, work, socialization, etc.

Essay Topic 2

Loss seems to be almost an unnamed character in the book. How pervasive is the sense of loss? Why does it have such a prevalent place in the characters' lives? Explain how an inanimate object or characteristic can be a character.

Essay Topic 3

What is the overall setting for the stories in the book? Be sure to include geography, time period and any pertinent popular culture events. Why did Munro choose to use these places in the stories?

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