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. What are some of the things that women who accept their lot in life do when they are deemed unsuitable for procreation?

2. What does a woman deemed suitable for procreation need to do when she wants to have a baby?

3. What does Hadley hope her parents will do once she moved away from home?

4. What is the name of the place where Sidra works?

5. How old are women when they need to submit to genetic screening in "Graceful Burdens"?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is Hadley's life in Omaha like after she moves following her failed genetic screening?

2. What is the baby lending process at the Omaha Public Library?

3. Where are library babies sent when they turn three?

4. What happens in "Graceful Burdens" once a woman is deemed suitable for procreation?

5. What happens when Hadley tells her family she failed her genetic screening?

6. Why is Sidra hired for the caretaker position at the Omaha Public Library?

7. What happens in "Graceful Burdens" to women when they reach the age of 16?

8. Describe the area where the library babies stay until they are checked out.

9. Describe the card catalog in the library at the start of "Graceful Burdens."

10. What do some wealthy women do if they fail genetic screening?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Write an essay analyzing Roxane Gay's commentary on gender in "Graceful Burdens." How is gender important to the story? How does it effect the narrative? Use textual evidence to explain your analysis.

Essay Topic 2

Write an essay describing the imagery used in "Graceful Burdens." Indicate examples of imagery in the text and identify possible meanings.

Essay Topic 3

Write an essay analyzing the narrative structure of "Graceful Burdens." What effect does this have on the story and the reader? Use direct examples from the story to support your analysis.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 650 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample