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 was Ivan when Sylvia was injured?

2. At what time in the morning does Margaret wake after her first night with Ivan?

3. What kind of birds does Margaret and Ivan see as they walk together?

4. With what piece does a ten-year-old make a mistake while playing against Ivan?

5. What bus does Ivan ride to greet Margaret again?

Short Essay Questions

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

2. To what does Ivan ascribe his social difficulties?

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

4. How does Naomi respond to online comments threatening her?

5. What is Ivan’s demonstration in Leitrim?

6. Why does Ivan regard profit as an inefficiency?

7. How does Peter understand the quality of the suit Ivan wears at their father’s funeral?

8. Why does Margaret ask Ivan not to discuss their first night together?

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

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

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Consider Ivan’s recollection of his conversation with Sylvia about green hats and sisters (261-63). Does Ivan’s logic check out? Does his reasoning more fully? How or how not?

Essay Topic 2

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?

Essay Topic 3

Sources attest to the presence of Intermezzo on best-seller lists. Assuming that sales figures reflect popularity, what accounts for the popularity of the novel? How does it do so?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 480 words (approx. 2 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample