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This test consists of 15 multiple choice questions and 5 short answer questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What does Robbie's grandfather suggest Robbie do after reading the letter?
(a) Make a copy of it.
(b) Destroy it.
(c) Fax it to the president.
(d) Send it to J.

2. What did Robbie's grandparents do every evening at the dining-room table for a while?
(a) Debate politics.
(b) Play bridge.
(c) Jigsaw puzzles.
(d) Write letters to their congressmen.

3. What "crude metaphor" (4) does Robbie's grandfather use to describe the president's behavior?
(a) A dinner guest vomiting after the meal.
(b) Somebody urinated on a bathroom rug.
(c) Somebody picking their nose at a meeting.
(d) Somebody having a public bowel movement at a dinner party.

4. What does Robbie's grandfather say he and his wife would have had to have been in order to make any change pre-election?
(a) Extreme people.
(b) Caring people.
(c) Unethical people.
(d) Educated people.

5. What does Robbie's grandfather say the system as he and his wife knew it was like?
(a) Cyanide.
(b) Hydrogen.
(c) Oxygen.
(d) Nitrogen.

6. Why were Robbie's grandparents no longer able to muster "genuine outrage" (4) at what was going on in the country?
(a) They thought the media was overreacting.
(b) They felt hopeful things were getting better.
(c) They were overwhelmed.
(d) They liked the president.

7. What occurs to Robbie's grandfather regarding J. at the very end of his letter?
(a) She and Robbie may be lovers.
(b) She may be a spy.
(c) She may be a Republican.
(d) She may have already fled.

8. How does Robbie's grandfather close the letter?
(a) My heart is with you.
(b) Love you to the moon and back.
(c) With much love.
(d) Yours truly.

9. What does Robbie's grandfather admit to having in response to the last part of Robbie's email?
(a) A lot of money.
(b) Regrets.
(c) Another family.
(d) Access to a good lawyer.

10. What does Robbie's grandfather say he would never do and thinks Robbie would never do either?
(a) Arm himself.
(b) Write his senators.
(c) Protest.
(d) Become a Republican.

11. In what way does Robbie's grandfather say they can help him if need be at the end of his letter?
(a) Robbie can stay with them.
(b) They can help Robbie leave the country.
(c) They can send money.
(d) They can smuggle J. out of jail.

12. What does Robbie's grandfather say about J. at the end of the letter?
(a) Robbie was too good for her.
(b) She is a lovely person.
(c) He knew she was dishonest.
(d) She was a noble woman.

13. What types of things did Robbie's grandparents do at first during the critical period?
(a) Organized marches.
(b) Ran for office.
(c) Wrote their senators and donated money.
(d) Watched the news more.

14. What does Robbie's grandfather say is easy to think when reading history books?
(a) You know exactly what you would have done.
(b) Intelligence is declining rapidly.
(c) People are far more malicious these days.
(d) People were so much less intelligent in the past.

15. Why did Robbie's grandparents pay little attention to the TV news despite it being bleak?
(a) They figured someone would come along to set things straight.
(b) They figured there was nothing they could do about it.
(c) They could not really hear what was going on from the other room.
(d) They assumed much of the news on TV was fake.

Short Answer Questions

1. What does Robbie's grandfather liken the both of them to at the end of the story?

2. What simple act does Robbie's grandfather say is "doing much good" (6) as far as he is concerned?

3. Who became targeted after the election and the "deluge of pardons" (4)?

4. What does Robbie's grandfather say they are "sheltering...through a dark period" (6)?

5. What phrase does Robbie's grandfather use at the end of his letter when discussing what he should do regarding J., which he hopes does not offend Robbie?

(see the answer keys)

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