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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. In "My Evil Mother" which ritual does the narrator’s mother have her perform?

2. In "Bad Teeth," what did Csilla deny stealing?

3. Who are Imp and Pat?

4. In "My Evil Mother," what does the narrator’s mother suggest after the birth of her first child?

5. In "My Evil Mother" what gifts does the narrator’s dad give her?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does the Duke want to marry Pat?

2. What happens between the narrator and her mother during her father’s funeral?

3. Describe the male admirers of both Lynne and Csilla during their younger days.

4. How does Nell describe Smudgie?

5. Summarize the alien’s story in a few sentences.

6. In “First Aid,” what does the opening scene look like?

7. How does the phone call between Jason and Lynne go?

8. What do the aliens provide at the beginning of the story to the humans?

9. What happened between the narrator and her boyfriend Brian?

10. Who is Jason and why did Csilla contact him?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Referencing “Widows,” write an essay about how the medium of letter writing allows Nell to be more open and forthcoming than she normally is. Draw examples from both letters to illustrate this point - make sure to address why she is more closed off in the second letter.

Essay Topic 2

Referring to “Freeforall,” write an essay discussing how Atwood’s use of diction shapes her characters in the story. Do you believe the terms of finance and trade contribute to the dehumanization of young men and women?

Essay Topic 3

Write an essay on how Atwood’s use of levity and humor helps her discuss serious issues in an approachable way. What elements of humor does she use to soften the blow of her more serious underlying themes? Draw examples from one to two of Atwood's short stories.

(see the answer keys)

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