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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 long have William and Otto been together?

2. What holiday did Otto agree to join his family for in "Some Other, Better Otto"?

3. Which of Otto's siblings invited him over for the upcoming holiday?

4. Why does Otto decline William's offer to take their vacation early this year?

5. How does Otto say he finds out about his sibling's lawsuit?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is Otto anxious about at the start of the story, which he discusses with William?

2. How long ago did Otto introduce his family to William? What was the occasion? What changed for Otto after that night?

3. Why did Otto know how to answer Corinne's question about where he and William met?

4. How did Otto's mother's death change him and his relationship with his family?

5. Who are Naomi and Margaret? Where are they at the start of the story and why?

6. What do Corinne and Otto say when discussing their family Thanksgivings when they were young?

7. What did William do while Otto worked when they first moved into the brownstone?

8. What would Corinne or Martin often say when they called Otto to invite him to a family event?

9. What does Corinne ask of Otto after she invites him to Thanksgiving? Why does she think he will be more effective than she or Martin?

10. How was Otto's family's reaction to William different from the way they reacted to Diandra?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Write an essay analyzing Eisenberg's decision to tell the story using third person point-of-view from Otto's perspective. How does this impact the reader's understanding of the story's events? Is this effective? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 2

Even though this story has many characters, what makes Otto the protagonist of this story? Compare his role in the story to definitions of protagonists.

Essay Topic 3

Write an essay describing the imagery used in "Some Other, Better Otto." Indicate examples of imagery in the text and identify possible meanings.

(see the answer keys)

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