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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 Nancy’s position at a small private elementary school in “Lying Doggo”?

2. What is the name of Holly’s father in “Graveyard Day”?

3. What old friend from graduate school does Nancy tell “Insulation is [Jack’s] hobby” in “Lying Doggo”?

4. How old is Edwin in “A New-Wave Format”?

5. How many years does the narrator say she was away “pursuing higher learning” in “Residents and Transients”?

Short Essay Questions

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

2. How is Larry described in “Residents and Transients”? How did Mary meet Larry?

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

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

5. How is Ruby’s relationship with Buddy described in “Third Monday”?

6. What education did Georgeann and Shelby attain in “The Retreat”?

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

8. How are Nancy’s husband and son described in “Nancy Culpepper”?

9. What does Georgeann’s mother warn her of when Georgeann marries Shelby Pickett in “The Retreat”?

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

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Describe and analyze the characters of Louise and Peggy in “Still Life with Watermelon.” How old are these characters? What do they share in common? How do they differ? How do Louise and Peggy compare with the other main characters in the collection?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the themes of identity, transition, and communication in “Offerings.” How does the author depict the communication between Sandra, her mother, and her grandmother in the story? What do each of these characters represent symbolically related to the theme of transition?

Essay Topic 3

Examine the setting of “The Rookers.” What imagery and symbolism does the author imbue in the setting of the story? In what ways is Mary Lou’s card table symbolic? What does it represent to Mary Lou?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 826 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample