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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. Where does Jaslyn recall going to locate Ciaran in Book 4, Chapter 12: "Roaring Seaward, And I Go"?

2. To whom did Gloria's mother sell the slave exchange slip that belonged to her grandmother?

3. What musician does Tillie describe on the radio when she and Jazzlyn were arrested?

4. Who is the doorman that greets Jaslyn when she arrives at Claire's building in Book 4, Chapter 12: "Roaring Seaward, And I Go"?

5. How many times does Gloria say she's been mugged in New York over the years in Book 3, Chapter 11: "All Hail and Hallelujah"?

Short Essay Questions

1. How are the sights and sounds described during the walker’s World Trade Center stunt in Book 2, Chapter 8: “The Ringing Grooves of Change”?

2. What trick involving birth dates is described in Book 2, Chapter 8: “The Ringing Grooves of Change”?

3. How is the tightrope walker’s stunt perceived by the protagonist in Book 3, Chapter 9: “Part of the Parts”?

4. Who is the protagonist of Book 3, Chapter 9: “Part of the Parts”? Where was this character previously introduced?

5. How is the walker’s moment of silence described in Book 2, Chapter 8: “The Ringing Grooves of Change”?

6. How is the setting of Washington Square Park described in Book 2, Chapter 8: “The Ringing Grooves of Change”?

7. What sights and sounds are described in the conclusion of Book 2, Chapter 8: “The Ringing Grooves of Change”?

8. How are the losses of the protagonist described in Book 3, Chapter 11: “All Hail and Hallelujah”?

9. How does Tillie Henderson describe her past and what led her to prostitution?

10. How would you describe the relationship between Tillie and Jazzlyn Henderson?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss Adelita’s story in Let the Great World Spin. How would you define Adelita’s central conflict in the narrative? Is this conflict resolved by the end of the novel? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 2

Describe and discuss the imagery and symbolism in Book 1, Chapter 4: “Let the Great World Spin Forever Down.” How is the meadow described? Why is this meadow so significant for the walker? What do you think the walker’s encounter with the coyote represents?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the metaphors and symbolism surrounding the tightrope walker in the novel. What central feat does the walker perform? Why does he perform this stunt? How does this performance impact the lives of the main characters in the story?

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