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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 does the rain cause to grow on the estate?

2. To whom is Chapter Five devoted?

3. From where is the family returning to Russia?

4. Who are Miss Norcott and Miss Hunt?

5. How does the family spend their time in this town?

Short Essay Questions

1. Where do they head to from Paris? What do they do when they get there?

2. How does Nabokov begin this final chapter?

3. How does Nabokov describe the final years in Europe?

4. Describe Nabokov's mother.

5. What is the process Nabokov goes through to create a poem?

6. Who is Mademoiselle?

7. Why does Nabokov have trouble sleeping?

8. Vladimir and his brother, Sergey, go through a series of nurses and governesses. Describe some of his memories of these women.

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

10. He also had several art instructors. Who are they and what does he learn from them?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

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.

Essay Topic 2

This autobiographical work ends with the family leaving on a boat for the United States.

Part 1) What might be the reason they decide to immigrate to the United States?

Part 2) What struggles might the family encounter? Why?

Part 3) Will Nabokov be successful in the United States? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 3

The second chapter focuses on Nabokov's mother.

Part 1) Describe Nabokov's mother.

Part 2) Compare Nabokov and his mother.

Part 3) What is Nabokov's relationship like with his mother?

(see the answer keys)

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