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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 hires Dr. Phyllis to stay on full time?

2. Who performed the surgery on Dr. Phyllis' abdomen to remove what she believe was implanted there?

3. Which alcoholic beverage do Oly and Miss Lick drink together?

4. What does Alma have removed from her body?

5. What is Chick's birth defect?

Short Essay Questions

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

2. What happens when Oly visits Miranda at work?

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

4. Why is Chick almost abandoned by the Binewski family?

5. Describe Arty's appearance.

6. Who is Leona, and what happened to her?

7. What is the profession of the Binewski family?

8. What does Lil Binewski do that is unusual during her pregnancies?

9. What is the unusual offer that Miranda been approached about, and how does she react?

10. Describe Olympia's appearance.

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

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.

Essay Topic 3

Arty has a very strange relationship with women. Even though he treats everyone in his life poorly, his relationships with women seems particularly damaged. In an essay, compare/contrast Arty's relationships with his various sisters and explore his relationship with Lil. How might his relationship with his mother have affected his other relationships? Consider the business relationship that Arty has with Dr. Phyllis versus the business relationships that he has with the men he employs - particularly Zephr McGurk and Vern Bogner.

(see the answer keys)

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