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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. Why does Claire want Catherine to come to New York?
(a) She needs Catherine to help organize the upcoming wedding.
(b) She wants to get a two bedroom apartment so they can live together again.
(c) She is worried that Catherine is upset and exhausted, and living in Chicago is bad for her mental health.
(d) She never wants to come back to Chicago to visit.

2. What does Hal discover in the notebook?
(a) A short story.
(b) A painting.
(c) A proof.
(d) A theory of physics.

3. How does Catherine know about Sophie Germain?
(a) Robert gave her a book about the woman.
(b) She learned about her in a college course.
(c) They know each other personally and have been friends for years.
(d) She was one of Catherine's teachers.

4. What is Catherine wearing at the top of the scene?
(a) A blouse and jeans.
(b) A swimsuit.
(c) A robe.
(d) A dress.

5. What is Hal's excuse for kissing Catherine?
(a) He thought she was Claire.
(b) He has been in love with her for four years.
(c) He thinks she owes him since he plays in the band.
(d) He's a little drunk.

Short Answer Questions

1. How many days has Catherine "lost"?

2. What is Hal's full name?

3. How old was Robert when his illness began?

4. How many notebooks did Robert leave behind?

5. When is Claire's wedding, and where?

Short Essay Questions

1. How is Claire's personality different from Catherine's?

2. Describe the general mood at the house after Robert's funeral.

3. How does Catherine describe Robert's mathematical processes?

4. What does Robert reveal about Catherine's state of mind in the first scene?

5. What does Catherine give to Hal that morning? Where has Catherine been keeping the object ?

6. Describe how Catherine treats the police when they arrive.

7. How does Hal describe the mathematicians at his conferences?

8. Why has Hal come to the house?

9. Who is Sophie Germain?

10. Why is Claire so worried when Catherine cannot explain the police presence at the house the night before?

(see the answer keys)

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