View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What does Karen take from the art gallery?

2. Why does Bill tell Charlie he doesn't want to talk about his book?

3. Who does Scott think about meeting in New York?

4. What does Karen want Scott to ask her?

5. In whose position does Bill try to put himself at the end of this section?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why doesn't George like using a word processor?

2. What does Brita see from her bombed out apartment at the end of this section?

3. What signs are there that Karen is getting ill?

4. What does Rashid say about Chairman Mao?

5. What do Karen and Scott do when Karen arrives back at the house?

6. How does Brita react to Rashid's comments about Mao?

7. How does the boy torture the prisoner?

8. How does Bill die in this section?

9. Why is it unlikely anyone will identify Bill's body?

10. How does Karen become acquainted with the homeless people?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Who were the Moonies? What influence did they have on American popular culture during the seventies? Why does Karen find it so difficult to escape them both physically and mentally? Why does the author represent them as threatening? Is this an accurate representation?

Essay Topic 2

Examine the book's chronological setting.

1. What were the main concerns during the 1970s? How does the author express these concerns?

2. How would the author change the book if it was set in today's society?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss elements of the narrative structure: exposition, conflict, complication, climax, resolution and conclusion. Do all the elements make for a logical and linear story? How does the story's structure express the book's themes?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 823 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample