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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 does Eugene fare in his new position as offered to him by President Truman?

2. Kay promises Phil that while she is rich, she is willing to live on _______________.

3. The _______________ raises a furor over Kay working without pay at the Mount Vernon Argus.

4. WWI falls conveniently at the time Eugene's __________ calls for him to take up public service.

5. Philip Graham is first ________ for Supreme Court Justice Stanley Reed and in line for a job with Frankfurter.

Short Essay Questions

1. Why is Philip Graham's father not keen about the idea of Kay and Phil getting married?

2. What does Kay think it is wiser for her to do since she is the daughter of a publisher?

3. What do Mother and Phil lock heads over during the years at Glen Welby, where life seems right?

4. What does Mother think of the women that she meets when she is living in Washington with Eugene?

5. What does Kay do with her time when Phil is off at court?

6. What is Kay surprised about when she drives to Florida to see Phil's family?

7. Why does Kay not agree with Phil's choice to back Bradlee's crusade to desegregate swimming pools in Washington?

8. Why does Phil denounce the efforts of the Teamsters to unionize the Post's circulation?

9. Mother takes more of an active role in politics, but what does she feel pride about doing at this point?

10. What does Agnes do four months after the birth of Kay?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Throughout the book, Kay talks about the various political leaders her husband and she entertain.

Part 1: Why do you think Kay and Phil felt it was important to meet with important political leaders?

Part 2: Do you think that meeting with political leaders might sway the writing of the Post? Why or why not?

Part 3: How do you feel about these famous political leaders after reading about them in Kay's book?

Essay Topic 2

Though Kay has millions of dollars in a trust for her, she tries to live on her husband's salary instead, as she said she would do.

Part 1: Why do you think Kay felt it was important to live on her husband's salary?

Part 2: Would you have used the trust money to support yourself were you in Kay's position? Why or why not?

Part 3: What impact do you think wealth can have on a person? Is it better to shun wealth or to accept it? Why?

Essay Topic 3

The theme of sexism runs rampant in this book, with even Kay's father telling her that no man should be working for his wife when Kay's husband is given the position at the Post as opposed to her.

Part 1: Why do you think Kay's father thought that Phil was up to the task for the job?

Part 2: Do you think Kay would have made a better editor than Phil did? Why or why not?

Part 3: Why do you think that men though women were less able to handle the stresses of the newspaper world?

(see the answer keys)

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