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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 hormone does Callie's body not produce because of her 5-alpha-reductase deficiency?

2. Who is Meg Zemka?

3. Which book is the only one that Milton and Tessie complete during their quest to complete the Great Books series?

4. How does Callie avoid going to the theatre with her parents?

5. What does the Object's father do while driving Callie to the family's summer home in Petoskey?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe the dynamics of Zoe's and Father Mike's relationship.

2. Why does Callie name her love interest "the Obscure Object"?

3. Describe Meg Zemka's personality.

4. What do all of the women working at Sixty-Niners have in common?

5. Describe the changes in Chapter Eleven that Callie notices when he returns home from his freshman year at college.

6. What does Desdemona reveal to Cal when he returns home?

7. Compare Milton's and Tessie's thoughts about Cal's hermaphroditism after she disappears

8. How does Milton attempt to down play Callie's condition when telling her about the course of treatment?

9. Why does Callie not discover her hermaphroditism in this chapter?

10. Describe the Baker-Inglis English class production of Antigone.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

There are several characters who influence the person that the narrator becomes. Select the two characters who you believe have the greatest impact on her development and:

1) describe each character's actions or beliefs as they relate to Cal/Calliope.

2) discuss the impact of this character on Cal/Calliope's life and personality.

3) discuss why you selected each particular character. What about each character made him/her more of an influence on Cal/Calliope than others?

Cite several specific examples from the novel to support your ideas.

Essay Topic 2

At the beginning of Middlesex, the narrator (Cal) tells the reader that the purpose for telling this story is to record the family history that led to his hermaphroditism. ("And so before it's too late I want to get it down for good: this roller-coaster ride of a single gene through time.") Do you believe that this is the only reason for writing this story? Why or why not? What are some other reasons why Cal chooses to write this story?Cite several specific examples from the novel to support your viewpoint.

Essay Topic 3

The influence of parents on children is a recurring topic in Middlesex. Select two of the following pairs and discuss the relationship between the parent and child. Focus your discussion on the ways the the parent does or does not influence the child's development (physical, emotional, social and intellectual). Cite several specific examples from the novel to support your ideas.

1) Desdemona and Milton

2) Tessie and Calliope

3) Milton and Chapter Eleven

4) Lefty and Milton

(see the answer keys)

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