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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 is Alec's first grandchild who he sometimes looks after?

2. What does Cleve offer Ben that he politely declines in Part IV?

3. Who is the daughter of the woman who calls Val in Part IV?

4. Who is Marsha's newest grandchild in Part IV?

5. Where do Ricky, Jo and the others go to record in the wee hours of the morning in Part III?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Alec feel about looking after his granddaughter Vicky?

2. What is Val's life like with Mike in Part III?

3. How does Ben diffuse the tension between Marsha and Gloria in Part IV?

4. What are some things about Marsha that Ben admires?

5. What does Mike do in Part III that horrifies Val and changes the course of her life?

6. What does Val do when she gets out of prison to try to help others?

7. What does Jo end up doing after moving back to London, and why does she move back from America?

8. Who does Vern meet by chance in Part III and how do the two interact?

9. What feeling comes over Vern at the opera festival that he cannot quite place?

10. Why does Marsha sometimes get nervous when her sister comes to visit the house for family events?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Which character or characters do you think, by the end of the novel, feel(s) most comfortable and at peace with their life's choices and direction? Write an essay explaining your answers, citing specific references to the text to help support your conclusions.

Essay Topic 2

Why does Jo eventually move back to London, and how does her move change the course of her life? Write an essay explaining your answers, citing specific references to the text to help support your conclusions.

Essay Topic 3

Of the five main characters - Val, Jo, Vern, Alec, and Ben - which one do you think experiences the most significant growth or change over the course of his or her life? 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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