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This test consists of 5 multiple choice questions, 5 short answer questions, and 10 short essay questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. Which painting does Ellen Cherry sell for $7000?
(a) Boomer with the tongues.
(b) A surreal landscape.
(c) Nude Boomer with an ice cream cone instead of loins.
(d) The objects.

2. Who tells Ellen Cherry that Buddy is going ahead with his plan to blow up the Dome of the Rock?
(a) Boomer.
(b) Verlin.
(c) Buddy.
(d) Patsy.

3. Why do the objects need human help to leave New York?
(a) The door to the basement is locked.
(b) Conch Shell moves extremely slowly.
(c) It is prophesied that they receive human help.
(d) They need a guide.

4. What do Verlin and Patsy want to see while they're in New York?
(a) The Cathedral.
(b) The Turkey.
(c) The Statue of Liberty.
(d) Turn Around Norman.

5. What does the detective see in Ellen Cherry's apartment to make him suspicious?
(a) The check from Ultima.
(b) A picture of Buddy.
(c) A painting of Spoon.
(d) A newsclipping about Spike's shooting.

Short Answer Questions

1. What does Buddy do instead of going to Jerusalem?

2. How does Ellen Cherry characterize the new belly dancer?

3. What is a matter of tradition for the Belly Dancer?

4. How do the objects manage to escape the church?

5. What is the bumper sticker slogan that Ellen Cherry and Boomer sees as they are driving across the country?

Short Essay Questions

1. Without art and without Boomer, Ellen Cherry is beginning to feel that life is meaningless. What do you think Robbins is saying about the relationship between the meaning we give our lives and our endeavors and/or relationships?

2. Is there symbolic significance in the event when Ellen Cherry, having determined to paint again, goes looking for Turn Around Norman and finds Buddy instead?

3. Ellen Cherry is clearly upset by the disappearance of Spoon. Explain how you think she feels.

4. What is the effect of the high definition TV that Spike gave to the I & I?

5. Explain the conversation that Ellen Cherry has with Patsy on the phone the day after she sleeps with Spike.

6. Why do you think that Robbins ends the novel with Spoon?

7. Describe what happens to Ellen Cherry when she plays the eye game looking at Spoon.

8. Throughout the novel so far, Ellen Cherry seems to be cosmically bound to the group of objects. As they try to escape, Buddy catches two of them. Which objects does he catch and is Buddy also cosmically connected to the objects? Why?

9. Describe Ellen Cherry's feelings for Buddy after he tells her why he wants to destroy the Dome of Rock.

10. Explain the Vice President's concern regarding Buddy's plan to blow up the Dome of the Rock.

(see the answer keys)

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