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This test consists of 5 multiple choice questions, 5 short answer questions, and 10 short essay questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. George's eye keeps being drawn to a strip of what color in Francesco's painting?
(a) Brown.
(b) Blue.
(c) Red.
(d) White.

2. Which object belonging to George's mother went "missing in the panic and aftermath" (179) of her death?
(a) Her cell phone.
(b) Her passport.
(c) Her cat.
(d) Her laptop.

3. What term indicating class status had George's father applied to George's mother's class origins?
(a) Middle class.
(b) Socialite.
(c) Working class.
(d) Academic.

4. When George finally confessed her transgression to her mother, she said she had been keeping the secret for what length of time?
(a) Weeks.
(b) Days.
(c) Years.
(d) Months.

5. What position does Mrs. Rock hold within George's secondary school?
(a) Nurse.
(b) Counselor.
(c) Secretary.
(d) Custodian.

Short Answer Questions

1. To which character had George's mother compared the painting by Francesco, calling it "generous," "sardonic," and "friendly" (205)?

2. In what country does George live?

3. In a significant moment within the conversation in Italy, George's mother told her, "You know, Georgie, nothing's not" (250) what?

4. In what city does George currently live with her father and her brother Henry?

5. What substance does George's father abuse after the death of his wife/George's mother?

Short Essay Questions

1. What element of language does George come to see differently after her mother's death?

2. What timeline does George provide on the first page of the section entitled Eyes and what is its significance?

3. In what ritual does George begin to engage while sitting in her garden each day?

4. Describe the conversation George has with Mrs. Rock about her mother's criticism of a certain politician.

5. Discuss an instance when Smith injects humor into a memory George has of her late mother.

6. Give an example of a piece of dialogue in How to Be Both that reflects the theme of connection.

7. Discuss a metaphor Smith uses to indicate George's concern that she may be unable to love.

8. What clues led George to think that her mother had been put under surveillance prior to her death?

9. What had been George's family's New Year's Eve ritual and which members of the family had participated?

10. Explain the revelation that is finally made about the source of George's incessant feelings of "guilt and fury" (210) that result in repetitive thoughts.

(see the answer keys)

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