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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. Who are always watching Elizabeth and Calvin at lunch at the Hastings Research Institute?

2. In Chapter 18, where does Harriet hide her binoculars when Elizabeth calls her?

3. How many children did Harriet have?

4. In Chapter 11, what type of vehicle hits Calvin?

5. About how many employees from Hastings attend Calvin's funeral?

Short Essay Questions

1. What type of child is Madeline?

2. What is Calvin buried in and why?

3. How does Elizabeth figure out how to row?

4. In Chapter 4, how has Calvin gone out of his way to prove that he has no interest in Elizabeth beyond a professional capacity?

5. In Chapter 10, what is the only time that Six-Thirty bolts when walking?

6. How do Madeline's lunches her mother packs compare to other children's lunches they bring from home?

7. How do Elizabeth and Calvin get a dog, and how does he happen to be a stray?

8. How does Elizabeth go into labor and have her baby?

9. Why does Elizabeth hit a man with her handbag in an elevator in Chapter 15?

10. When do Elizabeth and Calvin meet?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

In the novel, some characters are more thoroughly described than others. Who are some characters that are merely named in passing or have a minor role in the novel? What is the importance of these flat characters to the storyline? In what way do these characters make the main characters more colorful or interesting? When there is conflict, what type of role do these flat characters play?

Essay Topic 2

Elizabeth faces stereotypes as she begins her television job. How are stereotypes involving women built into the show? How does she attempt to dismantle the stereotypes surrounding women that are built into the show?

Essay Topic 3

Idioms are words that have a figurative, rather than a literal meaning. How does the Garmus use idioms in Lessons in Chemistry? Why are the idioms sometimes difficult to understand? Why do the idioms often require research to understand their meaning? Why do some idioms make sense to humans, but not Six-Thirty?

(see the answer keys)

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