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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. How did Jack die?

2. When Olive was growing up in Shirley Falls, what language could often be heard on the buses?

3. What is the name of Bob's ex-wife?

4. Who was responsible for the death of Bob's father?

5. In "Exiles," when does Helen say that she and Jim took a cruise to Alaska?

Short Essay Questions

1. What happens to Fergus when Lisa is playing her documentary?

2. Where is Halima from and how many siblings does she have?

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

4. What does the park look like in "The End of Civil War Days" and how is it different from when Fergus was a kid?

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

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

7. Who is Bob's ex-wife, and what is their relationship?

8. What happens to Helen at the end of "Exiles"?

9. Why does Fergus learn that during Civil War Days they may not camp in the park?

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

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Cindy is fighting cancer. Why do people avoid Cindy? Why does she have few visitors? How has Cindy’s illness caused a division between her and many of her friends?

Essay Topic 2

The Larks are a wealthy family who seem to think they are better than other people. What secrets is the family keeping? How are their private lives different than their private? What is revealed about public and private lives through the Larkins?

Essay Topic 3

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?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 811 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample