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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. Has Hal found anything coherent in the notebooks as of Act 1, Scene 3?
(a) No, but he is not really reading the notebooks anyway--he just wants to go to band practice.
(b) Yes, he has found something profound in almost every notebook.
(c) No, the only lucid notebook is the one he tried to give to Catherine on her birthday.
(d) Yes, he has already made off with ten notebooks and is planning to write a book.

2. Why does Hal say some of the older mathematicians use amphetamines?
(a) They think they need the drugs to stay sharp; math is a young man's game.
(b) They are the easiest drugs to attain on the college campus.
(c) They are bored with being brilliant and have nothing better to do.
(d) They are insecure and trying to fit in with the other mathematicians.

3. What has Claire given Catherine to wear to the funeral?
(a) A suit.
(b) A hat.
(c) A ring.
(d) A dress.

4. According to Hal, what happens when a mathematician turns fifty?
(a) They are at their creative peak.
(b) Their career is over; they may as well teach high school.
(c) Their ideas are published in prestigious math magazines.
(d) They may experience concentration problems.

5. What was Hal's state of mind when he met Catherine four years ago?
(a) Confused; he did not have any idea who she was.
(b) Angry; he's hoped to meet Robert alone.
(c) Nervous; he was dropping off his thesis for her father to check.
(d) Happy; he'd specifically set up the meeting to talk to her.

Short Answer Questions

1. How does Catherine know about Sophie Germain?

2. Is Catherine pleased that Hal kisses her?

3. Who is Sophie Germain?

4. Why did Claire stay up so late?

5. How does Catherine treat the police officers?

Short Essay Questions

1. Who did Claire want to care for Robert during his illness, and who actually cared for him?

2. Why does Claire want Catherine to come to New York?

3. Why does Catherine demand to see Hal's backpack? Does she find anything?

4. What does Claire plan to do with the house?

5. Why is Hal's entrance at the end of the scene helpful for Catherine?

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

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

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

9. Why is Hal insistent on going through all of Robert's notebooks?

10. Who is Sophie Germain?

(see the answer keys)

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