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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 sport did one of Gay's brothers play professionally?

2. What was the title of Gay's short story collection for her thesis?

3. Where was Gay born?

4. Who transferred to the same university Gay went to for her PhD?

5. Where did Gay want to attend her first-choice college?

Short Essay Questions

1. What activity did Gay enjoy in high school that helped her forget her pain?

2. Before she turned to food, what activity did Gay find comfort in as a child?

3. What does Gay mean when she says her body is a cage?

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

5. What was Gay’s impression of the information session about gastric bypass surgery?

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

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

8. What prompts Gay to drop out of Yale and move across the country?

9. Why did Gay like the idea of going to boarding school when she was 13?

10. What habit did Gay pick up at the weight-loss camp she attended in high school?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Gay repeatedly uses the word “or” to link two disparate ideas. “I do not know why I turned to food. Or I do” (53). “I hate myself. Or society tells me I am supposed to hate myself” (148). Write an essay exploring Gay’s use of this construction and its effect on her arguments.

Essay Topic 2

Writing has been a positive keystone of Gay’s life from when she was very young. Write an essay analyzing the importance of writing throughout the author’s life, paying particular attention to how it has helped her express and explain her struggles.

Essay Topic 3

Gay describes conflicting feelings toward cooking. Explain some of her positive and negative attitudes about cooking, citing specific examples from the text.

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This section contains 652 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample