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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. At the end of "The Poet," how does Olive communicate with Andrea?

2. In "The Poet," where has Andrea L'Rieux just been to do poetry readings?

3. Where does Isabelle's daughter live?

4. How old is Olive when she has a heart attack?

5. In "The End of the Civil War Days," how long have the MacPhersons been married?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Olive learn about Betty when she comes to visit?

2. What news does Lisa have for her parents when she visits in "The End of the Civil War Days"?

3. What does Fergus do during Civil War Days in the park in Crosby?

4. What does Shirley Falls look like when Jack and Olive drive there?

5. What living arrangements do Fergus and Ethel MacPherson have?

6. Who does Jack see when he is in Shirley Falls with Olive, and what is that person doing there?

7. Who is Andrea L'Rieux?

8. What were the circumstances surrounding the death of Jim and Bob's father?

9. What is Olive's situation in "The Poet"?

10. What did Jack tell Olive when they flew to Oslo, and she refused to fly first class?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Jack and Olive both have things in their past they would change if they could. What are things that Jack and Olive would change from their pasts? Why would they change those things if they could? Why do they have regret over those things in their lives?

Essay Topic 2

In the novel, some characters are more thoroughly described than others. Who are some characters that are merely named in passing or have a minor role in the novel? What is the importance of these flat characters to the story line? In what way do these characters make the main characters more colorful or interesting? When there is conflict, what type of role do these flat characters play?

Essay Topic 3

Mood is an element that an author uses to evoke feelings in readers through the use of descriptive language. How would you describe the mood in various chapters? How does the overall mood change over the course of the novel?

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