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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 Shep polish his shoes?

2. How is Frank at the office?

3. What does Frank envision April doing as he gives a great burst of love and approval?

4. What does Frank do with the pile of papers on his desk?

5. What does no one want to do?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does the play proceed?

2. What does Helen do, while she and her husband sip their tea?

3. How does April feel after the play? How does this affect her relationship with her husband?

4. What happens after Frank's surprise birthday party?

5. How does April react when Frank tries to apologize? How does this affect him?

6. About what do the Wheelers and their guests discuss?

7. How does Frank's father feel when they return from the city?

8. What does April think about her plan to move to Europe?

9. Describe Frank's first visit to this building.

10. What is significant about this trip to New York City?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

April dies toward the end of the story.

Part 1) How does she die? Did you expect this to happen? Why or why not?

Part 2) Do you believe she had hoped to die, that in a way she committed suicide? Why or why not?

Part 3) What was the author's purpose in April's death? What message does this send to the reader?

Essay Topic 2

Frank feels conflicting feelings about his work.

Part 1) Where does Frank work? Why does he have conflicting feelings about his work?

Part 2) How is the plan to move to France affecting him at work? Why does it affect him this way?

Part 3) How does his view of his work situation change over the course of the book? Why do these changes occur?

Essay Topic 3

A theme found in this story regards the difficulties of relationships.

Part 1) How is this theme threaded throughout the play among the various characters?

Part 2) Would you consider this a universal theme? Why or why not?

Part 3) With what message does the author leave the reader at the end of the book, regarding this theme? How do you know this?

(see the answer keys)

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