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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. Who is Portia's mother?

2. Which of Martin's wives is at Thanksgiving dinner at Corinne's?

3. Who does Laurie say sent Portia a great gift for her birthday?

4. What did Otto and his siblings ask the doctors when Sharon had her first apparent psychological break?

5. Where does Portia's mother lives?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Corinne tell Otto about Martin at her house on Thanksgiving? How does Otto react?

2. As Otto observes Sharon's sparse apartment, what does he realize about himself?

3. Why is Corinne concerned about Portia?

4. What was the first real indication to Otto and his siblings that Sharon had a psychological disorder?

5. Why does Portia cry at Corinne's on Thanksgiving? How do the other family members, including Otto, respond to her concern?

6. What do Sharon and William discuss regarding time after William says he experienced deja vu?

7. What does Otto think as he watches William with his nephews at Thanksgiving?

8. What reason does Sharon offer for not wanting to go to Corinne's for Thanksgiving?

9. What does Otto wonder when William thought to bring Sharon flowers when they visited?

10. What did Viola get Portia for her birthday? Why does Portia think it is not a great gift?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Away from the main character examine the way the author uses the other characters in the story. When does he introduce and take them away from the story? What effect does it have on the story?

Essay Topic 2

Write an essay about the author of "Some Other, Better Otto." Who is she? What else has she written? How is "Some Other, Better Otto" similar or different from her previous works?

Essay Topic 3

Examine the use of dialogue vs the use of description. Look at how each is used in the story and what makes these uses effective or ineffective.

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