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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. What is the process by which Vladimir Nabokov writes "Speak, Memory?"

2. To whom is Chapter Five devoted?

3. Why is Nabokov disappointed to hear that one of his tutors marries a peasant girl?

4. Why is he detained briefly in 1918, by a Bolshevik soldier?

5. What does Nabokov call the process of using both the English and Russian translations of "Speak, Memory" to shape the current work?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is cause is Vladimir's passion?

2. What evidence is there showing that Nabokov and Tamara's relationship is not as innocent as his parents may think it is.

3. Who are the tutors hired to educate the Nabokov children?

4. Why does Mademoiselle want to leave the family?

5. How is Nabokov's experience at Cambridge?

6. What schooling does Nabokov's father receive?

7. Describe Nabokov's brother, Sergey.

8. How are the Nabokov's affected by their son? What do we learn about Dmitri, as he grows?

9. Who is Mademoiselle?

10. Who is Tamara?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

What is significant about Nabokov's time spent in Biarritz? What does one learn about his character and view of women?

Essay Topic 2

Nabokov and his brother go through a series of nannies, governesses, and tutors.

Part 1) Choose four of these individuals. Describe them, and explain how the children benefit from their services.

Part 2) How does Nabokov, similar to many children, treat the nannies, governesses, and tutors?

Part 3) How does Nabokov's relationship with these individuals reveal his opinion of hired help and those in lower social classes?

Essay Topic 3

How does the Nabokov family's lifestyle before exile contradict with the father's philosophy? Why might there be this discrepancy? What do you think is the opinion of the father about his family's lifestyle in Western Europe? Use information from the text to support your response.

(see the answer keys)

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