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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 the police chief that arrives to talk to Coffey about Louis Markowitz?

2. Who goes to Gramercy Park and lets him/herself with Mallory's stolen key?

3. What is an example of equipment used in Maximillian's Traveling Magic Show?

4. Who is averse to using computers?

5. Who had Markowitz on videotape, saying that he was a natural and a wonderful dancer?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Mallory gain access into the theater where Gaynor is?

2. What does Mallory notice or fail to notice as she wanders through Manhattan on her way to meet Gaynor?

3. Why is Butler's presence at poker important?

4. When Margot cannot get into her apartment, how does she reveal her desperation in her subsequent acts?

5. Why is Margot unable to prove that she is related to Siddon?

6. What does Butler do at Markowitz' funeral that shocks everyone?

7. Why does a dog jump out the window in the prologue?

8. What is of significance to the pawnbroker about the jewelry brought in by the junkie?

9. What is shocking about Mallory's discovery about her father dancing?

10. Why does Margot go to the bank?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

How is sexuality portrayed in Mallory's Oracle? Which characters appear overtly sexual? Which characters are sexually appealing to others and why? What sexual taboos are broken and what issues are raised in relation to sex?

Essay Topic 2

Both Mallory and Butler are important characters.

Part 1) Compare Mallory to Butler. How are these two characters similar and how are they different?

Part 2) What psychological purpose or insight does Mallory offer? Elaborate on this.

Part 3) Mallory offers to examine the past of the murder suspects. What is implied in this decision and how does it reveal that the murder motive is connected to the past of the murderer and not the present circumstances alone?

Essay Topic 3

Explain the role of women in New York in the 1990s when the women in the book are living their lives. What precedents do they feel compelled to follow? What restrictions do the have? What freedoms did they have that 21st century women do not have, if any?

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This section contains 804 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample