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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. How many grandchildren do Ruth and G.H. have?

2. Where does Clay think about going to dinner that night in Chapter 20?

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

4. In Chapter 32, what do Clay and Amanda debate through the night?

5. What can Amanda not help herself but blame the Washingtons for in Chapter 28?

Short Essay Questions

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

2. In Chapter 27, what does the narrator reveal about what is happening back in New York City?

3. In Chapter 24, what does Clay tell the adults at the house about his trip to town?

4. In Chapter 24, what does Ruth say is the last thing she would like to hear on earth?

5. 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?

6. In Chapter 23, what do Ruth and G.H. note is unusual about their surroundings?

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

8. In Chapter 21, what does Rose see in the woods that she points out to Archie?

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

10. How does Clay react to the Spanish-speaking woman who approaches him in Chapter 20?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

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 2

Why do you think Alam chooses to employ the voice of a narrator who seems to know only slightly more about the crises unfolding than the characters themselves do? What tone do you think Alam is trying to set in choosing this style? Write an essay explaining your answers.

Essay Topic 3

What issue is Ruth preoccupied with the whole time the Washingtons are at their vacation home with Amanda and Clay? How does Ruth handle the uncertainty regarding this topic? Write an essay explaining your answers, citing specific references to the text to help support your conclusions.

(see the answer keys)

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