View a FREE sample

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

Short Answer Questions

1. Which family member does the adult Oly live with?

2. Chick explains to Arty that he can feel things that normal people cannot. What is one thing that Chick says he can feel?

3. When Oly arrives home after visiting Miranda's work, what is she worried about that prevents her from falling asleep?

4. What sick animal does Arty give to the twins for their 14th birthday?

5. Aside from the Binewski daughters, what is the hair color of all the other girls who work for the circus?

Short Essay Questions

1. What happens between Arty and Chick when Oly sneaks off to listen to a story, leaving Chick unsupervised?

2. Why does Oly visit Miranda in her apartment?

3. What does the article Oly finds tell us about Dr. Phyllis time in medical school?

4. What is Arturism?

5. Describe how we first see Oly's adult life.

6. How does Oly gain access to Miss Lick's life?

7. Why does Al choose to keep the children separate from the rest of the town folk?

8. How does Arty begin drawing larger crowds to his shows?

9. What happens when the children hide out in a cherry tree?

10. Why is Dr. Phyllis' hiring significant in Arty's climb to power?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The picture of Oly's relationship with her mother changes drastically in the first two chapters of the novel - the first chapter addresses Oly's relationship with Lil when Oly is a child, and the second chapter addresses Oly's relationship with her mother as an adult. In an essay, compare and contrast these two relationships explaining why you think the relationship has changed. Which picture of the mother-daughter relationship is healthier?

Essay Topic 2

The sick horse that appears on the twins' 14th birthday acts as the machine for many characters to take on new roles in the novel. In an essay, describe the different characters' reactions to seeing the sick horse and the way that either the appearance or the healing of the horse changed the roles of different characters. What does this horse symbolize in the novel?

Essay Topic 3

Jealousy plays a large role in the relationships between the siblings. Choose two siblings and, in an essay, explore the way that jealousy has pervaded their relationship. Discuss the reasons why you think jealousy has become such a large part of these family dynamics, and explain how the Binewski family's system of value has played into the jealousy between siblings.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 803 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample