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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 does Amanda do the New York Times crossword on her phone?

2. How much food do G.H. and Ruth have in the house?

3. What had a past therapist urged Amanda not to do with Clay?

4. What did the listing for the vacation house say?

5. Who does Amanda have several messages from when she checks her phone in Chapter 3?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does Amanda like getting emails from work, even when she is on vacation?

2. What does Ruth think about G.H.'s relationship with Danny?

3. Why do G.H. and Ruth ask to stay the night at the vacation house?

4. What habit does Clay have that is bad for his health but he still performs relentlessly?

5. What happens to Clay that unsettles him in Chapter 16?

6. In Chapter 17, what do Ruth and Amanda work on together that helps them bond just a little?

7. How do Amanda and Clay feel about the vacation house?

8. How do both Clay and Amanda react when they hear a noise in Chapter 6?

9. Why does Amanda refuse to entertain Rose's entreaties to try to meet up with her friend Hazel?

10. What does G.H. offer to Clay and Amanda to try to convince them to let him and Ruth stay the night?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Write an essay exploring the different reactions of the four main adults in the novel - Amanda, Clay, Ruth, and G.H. - the first time they hear "the noise."

Essay Topic 2

Which characters in the novel seem to have the most faith in other people, especially once the scale of the crises begins to become clearer? Which characters seem to lack as much of this kind of faith? Write an essay explaining your answers, citing specific references to the text to help support your answers.

Essay Topic 3

What are your first impressions of Amanda, Clay, and their two children in the first several chapters of this novel, in terms of the types of people they are and what kind of moral foundations they follow? Write an essay explaining your answers, citing specific references to the text to help support your opinions.

(see the answer keys)

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