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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. Which of the following is NOT a Haitian food that Gay mentions she likes?

2. What did Gay's father do for a living?

3. What is the one university Gay applied to where she did not gain acceptance?

4. Who went with Gay to learn more about gastric bypass surgery?

5. Where did Gay initially want to attend college?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Gay feel about the use of BMI (body mass index) measurements?

2. How does Gay describe Haitian attitudes toward gluttony?

3. Why does Gay say that gaining so much weight made her feel safer?

4. What advice about writing did Gay’s teacher, Mr. McGuinn, give to Gay?

5. What are some of the reasons Gay gives explaining why Hunger was a difficult book for her to write?

6. How does Gay describe her relationship with her family as a young child?

7. What was Gay's relationship to food like before her rape?

8. What is Gay referring to when she says her life was split in two, “the before and the after" (14)?

9. What relationship did Gay have with the boy who raped her?

10. What was the most important thing that Mr. McGuinn did for Gay?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Growing up in Haitian-American family, Gay felt there were certain expectations and roles she was required to fulfill. Write an essay analyzing how Gay’s cultural background affected her struggles with obesity and loneliness.

Essay Topic 2

Reflecting on her adult intimate relationships, Gay writes, “I think most of my sad stories are behind me. There are things I will no longer tolerate” (251). Write an essay summarizing some of Gay’s difficulties in forming healthy intimate relationships and how her attitude towards her own relationships evolves over the course of the book.

Essay Topic 3

There are many public places that produce anxiety for Gay, who explains “There are very few spaces where bodies like mine fit” (202). Write an essay giving specific examples from the text about some of these spaces and explain how Gay reacts to their challenges.

(see the answer keys)

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