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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. What is it like living in Nora's apartment in the beginning?

2. According to Nora, what did parents need to do once the "The Parenting Movement" began?

3. What has nothing to do with age?

4. What profession is Nora Ephron a critically acclaimed success?

5. What do women seldom do as they get older?

Short Essay Questions

1. Who are the people that move in and that Nora meets in her building and what happens with these relationships?

2. What is significant about Lee Bailey?

3. What is happening to Nora's eyesight and what is she having trouble doing?

4. What types of maintenance are there?

5. What is the third stage of parenting?

6. What happens after Nora gets a divorce?

7. What happens to Nora as she throws herself into the culinary arts?

8. What does Nora's final decision about her new, waterproof, roomy purse do for other women trying to make traditional purses work?

9. Describe the premise of the chapter "Blind as a Bat."

10. Who is Nora Ephron?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

In the chapter titled "Le Strudel Perdu" Nora discusses the topic of loss through a very vivid description of cabbage strudel and her quest to find it after one of her favorite Hungarian bakeries closes. Nora discusses the idea of loss and the infinite quest to look for what gave you joy that is now gone forever. Write an essay about a significant loss in your life, on that you had to let go of the outcome of in order to heal. Perhaps your loss ended joyfully. Maybe it did not. Connect 3 of Nora's points on loss and letting go in your own essay, interlacing her narrative in with yours.

Essay Topic 2

Nora Ephron was greatly inspired by chefs, namely Julia Child, Michael Fields, and Lee Bailey. She was inspired so much that she changed her personal style. She often had imaginary relationships with those she admired, which caused her to make drastic changes in her own life. Write an essay on the power of inspiration through mentorship. You may do this through a personal narrative, perhaps an experience you had, or by writing a biography on inspirational figures like Julia Child and the work she did which inspired others to utilize their own gifts. Be sure to write your narrative in an analytic fashion and tie it into the book by using 3 excerpts in your essay.

Essay Topic 3

Nora finishes her book with the chapter that discusses death. She says that aging is better than the alternative and that there is positive to be found in aging. Living life to its fullest is the best way to live. Enjoying everything as much as you can. Write an essay that supports these sentiments. Write an inspirational essay that encourages both yourself and others to life to the fullest. What does that mean to you? How would you go about executing that plan?

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