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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. John had a quiet fortieth birthday but what happened a few days later?

2. John phoned Jenny in Boston about Marley's digestive system condition and what did they decide to do about it?

3. What was the style of the Grogans' new house in Boca Rotan?

4. What did the Grogans name their third child?

5. Because of Marley's misbehavior around the time of their second son's birth, what did John decide to do?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why did John decide to visit Shanksville, Pennsylvania in 2003?

2. What happened not long after John's fortieth birthday that convinced him Marley's fear of thunderstorms was justified?

3. What incident showed that Marley did not really fit in in Boca Raton?

4. The summer after John started his new job in Philadelphia, Jenny took the kids to visit her sister in Boston. What did John have to do about Marley?

5. How did Marley manage to get a part in a movie? How did John feel about that?

6. What happened not long after John's new job in Philadelphia began? What was the result of this for Marley?

7. Marley recovered from his illness. How did John know that Marley was back to his old self?

8. What decision did the Grogans make soon after moving to Boca Raton? How did their friends react?

9. What was the family hoping for in regard to the weather in their new home in the north? What was the outcome of this?

10. What did Patrick and Conor expect to see in their new home state and why?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Why did John Grogan include the e-mail and telephone tributes to Marley at the end of the book? Do you believe these added to the theme? As a reader, how did you respond to the tributes?

Essay Topic 2

In memoir writing, the author's personal presence must exist to make it authentic. Give five examples where John Grogan's personal presence is apparent and for two of those examples, explain why you think he chose to make it so.

Essay Topic 3

In reference to the plotting of Marley & Me:

(1) Why are the events of the memoir arranged as they are?

(2) What moves the narrative along? Is it external action or internal conflicts? Or a combination of both? Support your answer with examples.

(see the answer keys)

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