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. Where is Gil's favorite restaurant located?

2. Who receives Gil's money after he dies?

3. On page 12, which book from his childhood does Ethan remember thinking about?

4. How does Joe's high school girlfriend's husband die?

5. Who does Joe's high school girlfriend marry after college?

Short Essay Questions

1. After Gil suffers from a second stroke, where does he go and who takes care of him?

2. How is Veronica described when Joe discusses Veronica's family and her growing up in Queens?

3. What is the narrative structure throughout the novel?

4. After Schuyler dies, what scary dream does Veronica dream about?

5. What surprises Joe about Veronica's relationship and marriage to Schuyler, her husband?

6. What secret does Ethan and his family learn about Gil?

7. What does Maribel say about Schuyler's mind in Chapter 3? What does she say about her own self in comparison to him?

8. Describe the family's first encounter with Nok and her family in Queens.

9. Why does Gil refuse Nok's request to send Jack to a private school?

10. What originally happens to Schuyler's money after he is killed?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Write an essay summarizing why Tara and her family ended up leaving Kathmandu. Then, explain how Tara's life might have been different if she and her family had never left Kathmandu.

Essay Topic 2

Write an essay explaining what you think the meaning of life and the secrets to happiness are based on your analysis of 2-3 characters from the novel. Use their understanding about happiness to challenge or build upon your own ideas about life and happiness.

Essay Topic 3

Write an essay analyzing Joe's relationship with Veronica. How would you describe how they feel towards each other after Veronica's husband died? What is the significance of their relationship? How does it evolve and change?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 958 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample