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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. How many children does Furlong have?

2. What kind of place is the convent?

3. How old was Furlong when his mother died?

4. Who takes Furlong's mother to the hospital the day he is born?

5. Where do the men go sometimes for meals?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is unusual about December in New Ross?

2. Where did Furlong grow up?

3. What is the predominant religion in Ireland?

4. What is one reason Furlong never finds out for sure who his father is?

5. What does one girl ask Furlong when he makes a delivery at the laundry in Part II?

6. What do the Furlongs use to cook upon?

7. What tradition do the five Furlong daughters do every Christmas?

8. How does Furlong treat his workers?

9. How did Furlong meet Eileen?

10. Why does Furlong often feel grateful?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

How do financial concerns affect the actions and outlooks of main characters in this novel? Write an essay explaining your answers, citing specific references to the text to help support your conclusions.

Essay Topic 2

How does Furlong's life change after the first time he meets Sarah Redmond in the convent's freezing shed? Write an essay explaining your answers, citing specific references to the text to help support your conclusions.

Essay Topic 3

How does emigration effect Irish culture in 1985, the time period when Keegan sets the book? Write an essay explaining your answers, citing specific references to the text to help support your conclusions.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 426 words (approx. 2 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample