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. When Charles's father climbs into the time machine in Chapter 25, what happens?

2. What refers to the illusion of having previously experienced something actually being encountered for the first time?

3. The excerpt "theorems, miscellaneous" contains only the statement that sooner or later, a time will come when the next day, a person will what?

4. The morning after Charles and his father meet with the institute director, his father does what?

5. What first prototype time machine does Charles recall in Chapter 21?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why is the setting of Chapters 20 and 21 important?

2. What happens when Charles's father begins to demonstrate the machine in Chapter 25? What is his reaction?

3. What does Charles discover in the book in Chapter 28?

4. What is metaphorical about Charles's and his father's discovery about time travel in Chapter 22?

5. What is the author's statement about contemporary life in Chapter 30? How is this symbolized?

6. Where are Charles and his father in the memory in Chapter 25?

7. Why much Charles refocus his efforts in Chapter 27?

8. What is symbolized by Charles's experience of nothingness in Chapter 19?

9. What is described in the excerpt "residual objects in closed time-like curves"?

10. What does Charles discover in the box from his mother in Chapter 28?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Analyze the character of the narrator's father in the story, and then discuss the theme of psychology in the novel. How is time travel similar to self-analysis?

Essay Topic 2

Describe the characteristics of the narrator, TAMMY and Ed, and also discuss the isolation of the narrator. With whom does he have the most interaction?

Essay Topic 3

Describe the character of "The Woman My Mother Should Have Been." How does this character differ from Charles's real mother?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 904 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample