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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 "Middleman," why does Joshua meet Elsa at all of her auditions?

2. Who lectures Caleb when he leaves work to meet with Kevin in "When in Rome"?

3. While in law school, where does Caleb say he visited Kevin in "When in Rome"?

4. Why does Caleb say Kevin did not get a traffic ticket in "When in Rome"?

5. In "In the Basement," why does Nicholas say Lisa's husband's family teases him?

Short Essay Questions

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

2. At the end of "In the Basement," how does the narrator feel?

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

4. How does John describe Elsa's acting skills in "Middleman"?

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

6. How does John try to help Elsa's acting career in "Middleman"?

7. In what was are Caleb and Kevin different in "When in Rome"?

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

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

10. In "In the Basement," how does Nicholas describe Lisa's lifestyle?

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

Analyze the author's use of symbolism throughout this collection. Possibilities to consider are: the basement, money, cars, the plane, colors and clothing.

Essay Topic 3

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?

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