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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. What tune does Jo think she might have stolen part of for her own song without quite realizing it?

2. What does Val ask the woman on the phone to do before talking in Part IV?

3. What stew does Marsha make for her family gathering in Part IV?

4. Who is Vern's wife?

5. Where do Marsha and Ben go every Sunday?

Short Essay Questions

1. What problem does Val's husband Claude struggle with?

2. Why did Pastor Michael dislike Ben when they first met?

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

4. How does Ben meet Marsha?

5. What does the woman Val helps at her volunteering position tell Val about why she is so upset?

6. How does Ben generally get along with Marsha's adult sons?

7. In Part IV, what does Vern get to do as a result of his wealth that he has always wanted to do?

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

9. What idea does Vern get after visiting Alec?

10. What does Alec end up doing after he loses his job as a typesetter?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

How does Spufford describe Alec's relationship with Sandra, both before and after their divorce? Write an essay explaining your answers, citing specific references to the text to help support your conclusions.

Essay Topic 2

What does Val do after serving her prison sentence to try to redeem herself, and what role does religion play in her activities post-prison? Write an essay explaining your answers.

Essay Topic 3

What does the linotype, and Alec's experiences with it, ultimately come to symbolize? Write an essay explaining your answers, citing specific references to the text to help support your conclusions.

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