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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 feeling do Mashenka and Matvei have that brings them together?

2. In "Peasant Woman", what does Dyudya enjoy about having visitors?

3. What is a panikhida?

4. What feeling does Gusev have before he dies?

5. What does Anya do for her family when she gains access to money?

Short Essay Questions

1. Compare Nikolai Stepanych's (A Boring Story) public name to the real person.

2. Why does Katya leave to the Caucasus?

3. What makes akathists so difficult?

4. How does Grigoriev react to his punishment?

5. Describe Maria's upbringing under Andreich. What is Andreich's role in her life?

6. What causes Father Grigory to be so angry with Andreich?

7. Modest Alexeich admonishes Anya and her family about how a "man must have his responsibilities!" Between Modest, Anya, and her family, who shows responsibilities best?

8. Describe Yegor and Pelageya's relationship. How do they interact? How do they feel about one another?

9. Describe how Olga Ivanovna and her friends treat Osip. How does this turn on Olga?

10. How does real life affect Varka's sleep at night?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Compare how the soldiers and the sailor on the boat in "Gusev" handle a long boat ride back home to Russia. How do they each deal with long days without enough food and water, entertainment, and occupation? What does each resort do in order to try to keep their sanity?

Essay Topic 2

From "A Boring Story", Stepanych begins to realize that he is aging and changing, but he holds hope. What is Stepanych in hopes of and why?

Essay Topic 3

How does familiarity help those in grieving moments? For example, the woman who might have reminded Ieronym of Nikolai (Easter Night), Vanka (Vanka) writing to his grandfather, or Varka (Sleepy Night) dreaming of her late parents. Why is familiarity consoling? Feel free to use other examples as well.

(see the answer keys)

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