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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. After Nora sees Bill on television again, what does she think to herself?

2. What does a reader specifically pick out a book in the hopes of doing?

3. What does Nora savor after she has found the strudel?

4. What is the structure of Nora's apartment?

5. What leads to Nora's personal story of being an intern at the White House while JFK was President?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe Nora and Bill's relationship in the beginning?

2. Why is Nora upset about not being able to find her favorite food since 1982?

3. Describe Nora's job at the White House.

4. Describe Nora's desk environment.

5. What kind of relationship does Nora have with the characters she reads about in books?

6. What favorite food does Nora share about?

7. What does Nora say everyone has moments of?

8. What are the advantages of Nora's neighborhood?

9. What is the theme of the chapter?

10. How does Nora feel about what happened between Bill and Monica?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Nora describes the feeling of reading and finishing a book as the feeling of being a deep sea diver, coming up to the surface and needing to decompress or else running the risk of getting "the bends". Write a critical book review of your favorite novel, one that made you feel the rapture Nora speaks of. Discuss character, plot, climax, and resolution. If you have not felt that type of rapture, write an essay on what you imagine that feeling to be like, using the diver analogy. Make sure you take a critical, academic approach to the book review so that the reader is drawn in, much like they are in a novel.

Essay Topic 2

Every woman wants to look and feel beautiful. For many, it becomes an obsession. In an essay, write about the dangers of becoming obsessed with one's looks. Discuss the element of narcissism that is embedded into America's youth. What defines narcissism and how can it be avoided? Use contemporary examples from the pop world; singers, actors, rock stars, even politicians. How can narcissism become dangerous? Approach your essay psychologically but be sure to include evidence to support your claims.

Essay Topic 3

What is the Western Standard of Beauty? Where did it originate? Why is it so mesmerizing? Write an essay on how standards of beauty are put into place and the positive and negative consequences of defining beauty in a society, especially young girls. Use at least 3 examples of Western Beauty in your response and back your analysis up with real life examples, case studies, etc.

(see the answer keys)

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