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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 Chapter 34, who is Ruth wondering about and musing about what this person is doing right then?

2. What "old idea" does Ruth bring up to Amanda in Chapter 17?

3. Where do Archie and Rose go together in Chapter 19?

4. In Chapter 23, what does Amanda ask if the noise could have been?

5. What does Archie think about Rose's being startled in Chapter 19?

Short Essay Questions

1. In Chapter 18, what does Ruth most desire?

2. In Chapter 30, what do the adults see outside that astounds them?

3. In Chapter 30, what does G.H. say he thinks is the most important thing during a crisis, the same thing that helped him build his fortune?

4. In Chapter 26, what does Amanda ask Clay to do for fear that the power might go out soon?

5. Where do Rose and Archie go in Chapter 19 together?

6. In Chapter 24, what strikes Amanda as absurdly funny about G.H.?

7. In Chapter 22, what happens that startles and upsets everyone?

8. In Chapter 29, what is Clay's and Amanda's attitude on what they think will be their last night in the house?

9. In Chapter 31, what does the narrator reveal about "the noise"?

10. What is the main reason Clay gets lost in Chapter 20?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Why do you think Ruth is so afraid - and so insistent that G.H. not leave her in trying to help Clay and Archie towards the end of the novel? Write an essay explaining your answers, citing specific references to the text to help support your conclusions.

Essay Topic 2

Why does G.H. Washington think that his former building contractor, Danny, might be able to help them, and what does G.H. think when it turns out that Danny reacts very differently to his visit than G.H. had anticipated? Write an essay explaining 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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