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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. Why do Will's friends feel confident that he can walk around the dorm on a narrow ledge in "The Suicide Room"?

2. In "The Suicide Room," how does Alyssa explain her brother's mental impairment?

3. Why does David Applelow take Zach to a Greek restaurant in "Futures"?

4. Who does Mike say told him to visit the island with the rich woman in "The Rest of It"?

5. What does Griffin think when he sees Will walk past the window at the end of "The Suicide Room"?

Short Essay Questions

1. In "Futures," what happens when Marnie and Zach argue in the hallway?

2. What things does Mike tell Roddy about in "The Rest of It"?

3. In "The Rest of It," why does Roddy enjoy talking to Mike?

4. How does Roddy feel about suggesting that Mike should write a book in "The Rest of It"?

5. How does Roddy react to speaking with his ex-wife in "The Rest of It"?

6. Why is David irritated with Zach when they go to apply for jobs in "Futures"?

7. In "The Suicide Room," what rumors are there about the dorm room of the girl who killed herself?

8. What does Roddy do when his co-worker is in Ireland in "The Rest of It"?

9. How do the main characters of "The Suicide Room" know each other?

10. What happens when Will walks along the ledge of the dorm building in "The Suicide Room"?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Many characters harbor secret desires in this collection. Compare and contrast at least two stories that focus on secret desires. How are they similar? How are they different? What lesson does the author create about secret desires through these stories?

Essay Topic 2

Analyze the use of dialogue in these stories to develop the plot, characters and themes. In what ways is the use of dialogue strong? In what ways is it weak? How does the author's style of dialogue affect the reader's understanding of the story and themes?

Essay Topic 3

Compare and contrast the use of prose and descriptive passages in two of the stories in this collection. Consider the times the author uses lengthy and detailed passages vs. short, clipped ones. How does each style affect the story to which they belong? What might account for the variety in writing styles?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 979 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample