View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. Who is Vanessa's husband?

2. Who does May visit in London?

3. What does Sue ask May her first day back at work?

4. What kind of wreath does May get as a gift in December?

5. Where does Earl want to go instead of El Puerto for a meal?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does May think about Rose's apartment?

2. What does May mostly decide to do when Neera tells her about her marital problems?

3. What does May notice about the trees on campus?

4. What tree survived the Oklahoma City bombing, and what does it represent to May?

5. What does the word "shelter" mostly mean to May?

6. What happens on the beginning of May's trip to London?

7. What did May's mother used to say about her birthday?

8. Why does Blake think the trees on campus are behaving strangely?

9. What is special about the weeping birth?

10. How does Leo try to connect with May when she is away visiting?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

What are the "tree sheets" May gets from her father Earl, and what do they symbolize? Write an essay explaining your answers, citing specific references to the text to help support your conclusions.

Essay Topic 2

Why do you think Kane keeps the circumstances surrounding May's mother Miranda's death unclear until the end of the novel? Write an essay explaining your answers, citing specific references to the text to help support your conclusions.

Essay Topic 3

Who does May connect most effectively or deeply with in this novel, and why? Write an essay explaining your answers, citing specific references to the text to help support your answers.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 484 words (approx. 2 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample