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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 does the DA dump Henson for?

2. What does pregnancy do to the narrator and her husband’s desire for each other, in "The Husband Stitch"?

3. What lesson does the narrator of "The Husband Stitch" learn after she gives birth?

4. Who is abducted by a demon?

5. How does Benson keep the girls-with-bells-for-eyes from her apartment?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is the significance of the narrator’s green ribbon, in "The Husband Stitch"?

2. Is the ending or "Inventory" a triumph or a defeat?

3. How would you describe the atmosphere Machado creates in "Especial Heinous"?

4. What is the noise Stabler and Benson hear throughout "Especial Heinous"?

5. What is Benson’s relationship with produce?

6. What do we know about the virus that is killing people off in "Inventory"?

7. What kind of relationship does the narrator have with the woman from the art class?

8. What was Father Jones’ relationship with the girl who fell from the rooftop?

9. What is the dominant investigation taking place in ‘"Especial Heinous"?

10. What can the title of this book mean?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

In "The Resident," the narrator says that her talent comes from the ability to ‘manipulate proportions.’ Assess this statement in terms of its applicability to Machado’s book as a whole. Where do you see this quality in the stories? Is it the main source of the strength in Machado’s work? What other talents compete with this quality, to be the most important part of her work?

Essay Topic 2

Evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of explicit sexuality in Her Body and Other Parties. Do the benefits outweigh the risks in including explicit language and scenes?

Essay Topic 3

Write a character sketch of the author based on her style and content. What values does she hold dear? What are her hopes and fears? What kind of person do you think she is? Anchor your sketch in passages in the book.

(see the answer keys)

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