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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. Where are Naomi and Margaret adopting their first child?

2. What was the most Otto and William would do to reach out to family on birthdays for many years?

3. During what holiday did Otto first introduce William to his family?

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

5. To whom did Otto first rent out the the top floor of his brownstone?

Short Essay Questions

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Write a detailed analysis of tone in Eisenberg's "Some Other, Better Otto." Define tone and include whether the tone changes or remains the same. If it changes, include details on when, why and whether this change is effective.

Essay Topic 2

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 3

Who is Portia? What theme or themes does her character represent? What does her character show the reader about Otto? How is this character important to the story?

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This section contains 690 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample