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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 where is Eliot's first letter to Sylvia written after he leaves New York?

2. When Eliot leads his platoon into the smoke-filled building, what happens?

3. What is Eliot's customary gift to newborn children?

4. What does Mushari do with the letter he finds in McAllister's files concerning the president of the Foundation?

5. What does the coded shorthand AW mean in Eliot's ledger?

Short Essay Questions

1. Eliot receives a call from Diana Moon Glampers. Who is this woman? Why does she call Eliot in the middle of the night?

2. In Chapter Three, there is a description of Sylvia telling of her experiences and talents. Describe Sylvia. What does Sylvia know about the town Eliot describes to her?

3. Who is listening on the other end of the conversation between Eliot and Sylvia? What does the person learn from the conversation to aid in the case to have Eliot declared insane?

4. How did the people of Avondale greet Sylvia and Eliot when they move to Rosewater? Why do they treat them this way?

5. Eliot lives in his office. Describe the conditions in which Eliot lives. What are his surrounding like? Does he have many visitors? Does he leave the office regularly? What are some of the unusual qualities of the office?

6. What is the tone of the letter written by Eliot to his heir about the family history? How can you tell?

7. Even though Eliot continues to exhibit signs of alcoholism, emotional distress, and mental illness neither his wife Sylvia nor his father the Senator do anything to help him. What reasons do each of them have for not acting to help Eliot?

8. In Chapter Three, Eliot begins talking to people in front of a firehouse in Vashti, Texas. What does he identify as the main purpose of the Armed Forces in America?

9. Who is Arthur Garvey Ulm? What part does he play in the story of Eliot and Sylvia's life?

10. What does the law firm McAllister, Robjent, Reed, and McGee do for the Rosewater Foundation? What does Mushari learn while rifling through confidential files? What plan does he hatch based on his findings?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The title of the book is God Bless You Mr. Rosewater, or Pearls Before Swine. Discuss these two phrases: how they appear in the novel, what they mean, and why the author chose this title.

Essay Topic 2

At lunch at The Weir, Amanita tells Caroline upon giving her a gift "people get what they deserve." Discuss this quote and how it applies to the main characters of the story.

Essay Topic 3

Discuss Senator Rosewater's speech on the Golden Age of Rome. Why does he make the speech? What is his comparison between America at the time and the period before the Golden Age of Rome? Is this a reasonable comparison? How does he propose to repair American society?

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