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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 is the narrator’s husband’s name in “Residents and Transients”?

2. What is the name of Edwin’s first wife in “A New-Wave Format”?

3. What is written on the bakery cake Linda admires in the beginning of “Third Monday”?

4. How old is Holly in “Graveyard Day”?

5. What was the name of the dog belonging to her husband that was at Nancy’s wedding in “Nancy Culpepper”?

Short Essay Questions

1. How is the interstate highway compared with the ocean in “The Ocean”?

2. What pop culture references are seen in the story “Graveyard Day”?

3. Why has Mary agreed to stay in her parents’ house in “Residents and Transients”? How does she feel about this setting?

4. What does Waldeen come to view as a symbol for marriage in “Graveyard Day”?

5. How is Sabrina Jones described in “A New-Wave Format”?

6. What does Gladys tell Ruby about Buddy at the market when he’s not there in “Third Monday”?

7. How are Ishmael and its owner described in “The Ocean”?

8. What is Edwin Creech doing in the opening of “A New-Wave Format”?

9. How is Edwin’s character described in “A New-Wave Format”? Who do people think Edwin looks like?

10. What does Jack say about the people he’s cared about that have died in “Lying Doggo”?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Examine the plot structure of “The Rookers.” Where in the story are the exposition, rising action, climax, and denouement located? How does the structure of the story compare with “Shiloh”? How does the plot connect to the other stories as a whole?

Essay Topic 2

Describe and analyze the setting of “The Ocean.” How does the narrator describe the freeway in the beginning of the story? In what ways does the changing landscape in this story differ from the previous stories in the collection? What symbolism is used in the setting?

Essay Topic 3

Describe and discuss the characters of Peggy Jo, Mama, Aunt Mozelle, and Uncle Boone in “Detroit Skyline, 1949.” What are the actions and objectives of each of these characters? How would you describe their relationships to one another?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 811 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample