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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. At the end of "In the Basement" what does the narrator think about himself?

2. What does Nicholas say Lisa did instead of going to graduate school in "In the Basement"?

3. How does Maria say she reacted to seeing Lisa's dog in the basement in "In the Basement"?

4. In "In the Basement," how many children does Lisa have?

5. In "In the Basement," how does Nicholas describe the tone of Lisa's wedding?

Short Essay Questions

1. In "When in Rome," why does Caleb admit to trying to choke Kevin?

2. How does John feel when Elsa asks him to no longer accompany her on auditions in "Middleman"?

3. After leaving Kevin's apartment in "When in Rome," why does Caleb return?

4. In "In the Basement," at what things does Nicholas feel Lisa failed in her life?

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

6. In "In the Basement," what is kept in a basement?

7. In "Middleman," how does John meet Elsa?

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

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

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

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The entertainment business acts as a character itself in a few of the stories in this book. Analyze the role of the entertainment business in each of these stories. How does this further the plot, character and theme development? What message is delivered about the entertainment business?

Essay Topic 2

Many of the stories in this collection have vague or unclear endings. What role do these endings serve? What do the endings bring to a close? What message does the author convey with vague endings?

Essay Topic 3

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?

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