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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. What does Eliot use as a kitchen in his office in Rosewater?

2. What is the topic of the Senator's speech in the Senate Chamber before his election?

3. Where do the upper-management employees of the corporation who run the automated saw mill live?

4. According to Mushari's favorite law professor, what should every good lawyer look for?

5. What is in the letter that is to be given to the next president of the Foundation from the current president?

Short Essay Questions

1. 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?

2. Where is Eliot Rosewater born and raised? Where does he attend school? What degree, and with what specialty, does Eliot obtain after WWII?

3. When he disappears for a week, what does Eliot do? Why does the law firm of McAlister, Robjent, Reed, and McGee hire a detective to find Eliot, and where does he find Eliot?

4. When Eliot finally enters psychoanalysis, what changes does he make? How long is he in treatment? Why does the psychoanalysis end?

5. Eliot writes letters to Sylvia during his travels, one from a fire station in New Vienna, Iowa. What does he explain he has suggested to the fire department in that small town? How do they react? How does Sylvia react after receiving the letter?

6. 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?

7. Who is Eliot Rosewater? What do we learn about him in the first chapter of the novel?

8. Where does Eliot end up after his roaming around America? What does he tell Sylvia he plans to do there, and how?

9. Describe Eliot's office in Rosewater. What unique characteristics does the office have? What services does Eliot provide for the people of Rosewater?

10. In the back of Eliot's ledger is an unfinished novel he has written. In the novel, Eliot talks about Heaven. How does he describe Heaven and what happens there?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

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 2

Who is Norman Mushari? How does he get the information he has about the Rosewater family, their corporation, and their foundation? Why does he react the way he does to the Rosewater fortune? What is his plan?

Essay Topic 3

One theme in literature is the relationship between good and evil and how it affects the characters in the novel. Discuss the powers of good and evil in this novel in both plot and character development.

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