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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. What did Justine tell M Brett did while she put herself through medical school?

2. What did Kurt confess to M regarding his attempt at becoming a writer?

3. What was Tony doing after M ran back from the second home after seeing the painting L and Brett were making?

4. What does Kurt begin wearing after announcing his new career path?

5. What did Tony begin doing which meant he did not have time to sit for L?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why did the family gather in the living room one night while M fixed it up extra nice in case L joined them?

2. What does Brett tell M regarding her relationship with L while they are gardening?

3. What did M give to Justine to make up for the year she was unable to care for her? Does M believe Justine ever used this?

4. Describe the interaction between M and Brett after Brett pulled Justine's smock over her head?

5. What did Kurt tell M about L the day after his reading? What advice did L give to Kurt regarding Justine? What did Kurt warn M that L had said to him?

6. What did Tony do while he and M were apart when they first fell in love? How did M feel about this part of her life in comparison to other times?

7. What does L tell M about his father when she goes to the second place to deliver a package that arrived for him?

8. What does M tell L when he asks how she paid for their land and homes?

9. Where would M watch her daughter when she was young and M was unable to see her? What did her husband do and say when he spotted M? What did M do not long after that day?

10. Describe Kurt's reading in the living room at the main house. What did L say about it when he was finished?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Several times in the novel, M refers to a time after taking a train from Paris that her life spun downward. What do you think happened based on the details she provides in the story?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss Cusk’s focus on gender as presented in Second Place.

Essay Topic 3

Write an essay examining the cabin in the North Hills as a symbol in Second Place. In what scenes does the cabin appear? What is the context? How does the cabin develop the narrative?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 918 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample