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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. How is dinner different at the Patimkin's house from the dinner at Aunt Gladys' house?

2. What is the rule when Mr. Patimkin invites Neil to play basketball with him and Julie?

3. What does Neil notice about Mr. Patimkin?

4. How is Brenda dressed for dinner?

5. When Neil finds the boy later, what is he doing?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is the image the reader gets of Ron as he joins Neil and Brenda at the pool?

2. Describe Brenda's neighborhood in Short Hills.

3. What rather strange job is given Neil the evening after the dinner?

4. Discuss the competitive nature of Brenda.

5. What is a noticeable difference between dinner at the Patimkins' house and dinner in the Klugman house?

6. What is Mrs. Patimkin's athletic involvement?

7. Explain the social and economic difference between Brenda and Neil.

8. What does Brenda do that suggests she is very infatuated with Neil?

9. Describe Neil's family in Newark.

10. Describe the relationship between Neil and Brenda during the summer.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Write an essay that depicts Brenda as a drama queen who comes to the hotel in New York with a carefully worked out script for breaking off with Neil. The scene will contain props to make her story more believable such as the letters from her parents and the fake wedding band.

Essay Topic 2

Write a short, short story about Ron and Harriet after the wedding. Use you imagination and what you know about them from the novel to predict how stable their marriage might be and what happens to them later.

Essay Topic 3

Write a paper about conspicuous consumerism as it relates to the Patimkin family and their motives for wanting to live in the large house in Short Hills.

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This section contains 723 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample