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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. In "When in Rome," what does Caleb do for a living?

2. At the end of "In the Basement," what does Carla tell the narrator?

3. How does Joshua get Mr. Duckworth's attention in "Middleman"?

4. Why does the narrator want to know more about Lisa in "In the Basement"?

5. Why does Kevin show Caleb a basement at his work in "When in Rome"?

Short Essay Questions

1. In "In the Basement," what history does the narrator give about Nicholas and Maria's relationship?

2. How does Caleb try to mend his relationship with Kevin in "When in Rome"?

3. What is the last thing Caleb does in "When in Rome"?

4. In "When in Rome," how do Caleb and Kevin react to being mugged?

5. How does the narrator of "In the Basement" feel about Nicholas' relationship with Maria?

6. Why do Nicholas and Maria tell the narrator and his wife about Lisa in "In the Basement"?

7. In "Middleman," what does John's father say about his time in the Navy?

8. How does John feel about Judaism in "Middleman"?

9. In "When in Rome," why does Caleb tell the story about visiting his brother in California?

10. What does the narrator's wife, Carla, say to him at the end of "In the Basement"?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Compare and contrast two similar characters who act differently. How do their different actions change what seems to make them similar? How does this provide a message about free will in the collection?

Essay Topic 2

Consider the collection as a whole. Is there an overall theme that runs through each story? Define and analyze this theme. What does the author convey about this theme after reading every story?

Essay Topic 3

In what ways is this collection realistic fiction? Define the genre and assess the collection to see if it fits. What other genres might be applicable to this collection? Why?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 900 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample