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. What does Merv say about the circumstances of his wife's death?

2. How does Merv say he knew the friend that he and Sara have in common during Act 1, Scene 4?

3. At the close of Act 2, Scene 2, what do the sisters say they look forward to talking about in the future over tea?

4. What name does Merv call Sara by when they are left alone during Act 1, Scene 4?

5. What do Pfeni and Gorgeous encourage Sara to do in Act 2, Scene 2, as they share a glass of wine?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is implied by Geoffrey in his scene with Pfeni when he talks of friends dying unfulfilled?

2. In Act 2, Scene 1, what is spoken about passion?

3. Why might Sara refuse to sing for Merv?

4. Describe the mood as Act 1, Scene 4 opens.

5. How does the unseen character of Sonia fit into Act 1, Scene 4?

6. How is Sara closer to her true self after Act 2, Scene 2?

7. Explain why Pfeni and Geoffrey were first drawn to each other and crazy about each other when they met.

8. Which sister seems to be the most truthful in Act 2, Scene 1 and why?

9. What truth does Gorgeous speak to Pfeni about Geoffrey?

10. How does Gorgeous think her sisters feel about her?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Choose two objects in the play and describe their role in symbolism. You might choose the tea kettle Sara receives, the statue of Shiva, the Chanel suit, Merv's shirt, or something else. What is symbolized by the object, and what is its role in the play and to the characters?

Essay Topic 2

What is each sister's relationship to the past? Do they embrace it, reject it? Does that change during the course of the play? Examine each sister in turn and her relationship to her own past.

Essay Topic 3

Wendy Wasserstein, the playwright, was part of the theatre community in New York, and would, necessarily as part of it, have been affected by the AIDS epidemic and the lost lives of men young men in that community. Discuss the character of Geoffrey. Why do you think Wasserstein chose to write his character in the way she did. What do you think she was saying about the shortness of life itself and the importance of art?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 808 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample