View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. How old is Peter’s father at his death?

2. As which of the following had Ivan had freelance employment?

3. On which of the following streets does Naomi live as the novel begins?

4. What is Margaret’s job title?

5. At which police station is Naomi held?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does Peter initially decline to contest eviction orders against Naomi?

2. Why had Ivan not thought to borrow money from Peter?

3. Why does Ivan think himself boring?

4. Why does Ivan avoid closely contemplating his competition performance before giving it?

5. Why had Ivan thought about cancelling his chess exhibition in Leitrim?

6. Why had Ivan’s father called Alexei his home help?

7. Why is Sylvia reluctant to discuss her physical condition?

8. With what does Naomi assume Peter has been occupied at the beginning of the novel?

9. For what was Anna well known in her hometown?

10. How does Ivan ease his pre-performance jitters?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Readers accustomed to U.S. orthographic standards will find some issues of difficulty with the presentation of the text of Intermezzo. What comes across as most difficult? What effect does that difficulty create? Why might that effect be a desirable outcome for a novel?

Essay Topic 2

Consider the ending of the novel. Does it satisfy? How or how not?

Essay Topic 3

To what genre other than psychological fiction might Intermezzo be considered to belong? What in the text supports that identification? How does it do so?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 460 words (approx. 2 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample