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This test consists of 5 multiple choice questions, 5 short answer questions, and 10 short essay questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. Which "shiny" member of tablets girl's family does she poison, permanently affecting her victim's "health and eyesight" (217)?
(a) Her cousin.
(b) Her aunt.
(c) Her sister.
(d) Her mother.

2. When middle sister mulls over her meeting with a certain character at the bar, she says that she had expected the discussion to be about what topic?
(a) The milkman.
(b) Her habit of walking while reading.
(c) The rearing of wee sisters.
(d) First brother-in-law's status as a sexual predator.

3. How many hours after she goes to bed does middle sister wake up with "unbelievable stomach pains" (214) as described at the start of Chapter 5?
(a) 10.
(b) 6.
(c) 2.
(d) 4.

4. How many of middle sister's initial encounters with the milkman does she for some time try to see as "accidental" (166)?
(a) 1.
(b) 3.
(c) 2.
(d) 4.

5. How does middle sister feel about the neighbors' comments to ma that she cannot take middle sister to the hospital?
(a) She agrees.
(b) She disagrees.
(c) She expresses no opinion to the reader.
(d) She is unconscious at the time.

Short Answer Questions

1. What phrase does longest friend use to characterize the reason why she had felt compelled to meet with middle sister?

2. On which day of the week had tablets girl always poisoned people, prior to her more frequent poisonings?

3. Longest friend reveals that which character had been the source of the original rumors about middle sister?

4. Who accuses maybe-boyfriend of being the milkman when he makes an attempt to contact middle sister during her recuperation period?

5. How old is tablets girl, according to middle sister?

Short Essay Questions

1. Discuss a particular allusion Burns uses to allude to another literary work associated with the theme of depression.

2. What significant event happens in a chip shop shortly after real milkman is shot?

3. What kind of murders are said to be "unfathomable" (237) within the confines of middle sister's community and why are they described in this way?

4. What change occurs in middle sister's feelings for maybe-boyfriend after the milkman begins to stalk her?

5. Who is ultimately revealed to have killed tablets girl?

6. How does longest friend's reaction to middle sister's confession surprise middle sister?

7. What revelation does ma make about real milkman during one of her breaks from the hospital?

8. What three-syllable response does middle sister use in response to any question she is ever asked and why?

9. For what reason does the incident in the chip shop happen, according to middle sister?

10. Give an example of Burns's use of sarcastic humor within Chapter 5 and explain its connection to one of the novel's major themes.

(see the answer keys)

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