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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. Where does Coleman walk after his tense and upsetting meeting with the lawyer, even though he has not done so for years?

2. Coleman is a __________ skinned Jew, according to his own description.

3. What did Coleman suffer quite often when he was young because of his name and to what it could refer?

4. One Saturday, Nathan comes over to find Coleman in his ________ and nothing else.

5. What is Iris also strongly opinionated about, which attracts Coleman's attention and affection?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does Coleman go to the lawyer the next day after seeing Farley?

2. How does Coleman reveal his family secret to the woman he loves while he's in college?

3. What does the lawyer tell Coleman in regards to the restraining order against Farley?

4. What did the nice letter that Coleman found in his personal belongings say?

5. Describe Iris' health on the day that she died, according to the book's description.

6. How does Coleman reveal to Iris his racial background when they are getting married?

7. What happened to cause Coleman Silk to have to seek retirement from his job?

8. What does Coleman Silk confess to his neighbor when he is 71 years of age?

9. What does Mr. Silk believe is the most important thing in life, especially for a black man?

10. Why were Iris' parents never officially married, though they conceived and raised Iris as their daughter?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Coleman's determination to live a life the way he wanted to live it had effects on everyone, even if that wasn't his intention.

Part 1: Why do you think Coleman was all right with the idea that his family basically disowned him?

Part 2: Why do you think that Coleman decided to choose to be white instead of black?

Part 3: How do you think Coleman's friends would have reacted had they known he was part black?

Essay Topic 2

It's interesting that the story includes a modern day reference to the Bill Clinton scandal, as it mirrors other events in the story as well.

Part 1: Why do you think the author decided to include the reference to the Bill Clinton scandal?

Part 2: Do you think Clinton's situation and Coleman's situation are similar? Why or why not?

Part 3: What do you think the novel has to say about affairs between older men and younger women?

Essay Topic 3

When it's discovered that Faunia has a diary, it seems that her claims of illiteracy may not be true.

Part 1: Why would someone hide the fact that they could read?

Part 2: Why do you think that Faunia decided to pretend that she was illiterate?

Part 3: Why do you think Coleman never realized Faunia was indeed literate?

(see the answer keys)

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