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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. Why does Osip leave Olga?

2. Why is business bad for Bronze in "Rothschild's Fiddle"?

3. What about Ryabovsky intrigues Olga?

4. To whom is Nevyrazimov writing a letter?

5. What is Grigoriev's punishment?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why doesn't Grigoriev believe the magistrate when he says taking nuts will derail the train?

2. Describe Anya's character and how it changes from the beginning of "Anna on the Neck" to the end.

3. Why does Katya leave to the Caucasus?

4. What happens to officials who deal with people's suffering, such as judges, policemen, and doctors? How does this affect the innocent?

5. What changes are observed in Nikolai Stepanych's lectures from the past to the present?

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

7. What will happen to Vanka at the end of his story?

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

9. What makes akathists so difficult?

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

From "A Boring Story", write an essay about male/male and female/female relationships. Base answers on Stepanych and Mr. Gnekker's relationship for male/male and Varya and Liza's relationship with Katya for female/female. Why is it difficult for Stepanych to like Mr. Gnekker and why is it difficult for Liza and Varya to like Katya and vice versa?

Essay Topic 2

Everyone in Chekhov's stories is looking for some form of happiness or contentment. For each it is something different. Write an essay about what makes people happy and how much are they willing to give up to reach that happiness? How does one promote happiness in their lives and how do some inhibit their search for happiness?

Essay Topic 3

The only thing Varka in "Sleepy" wants is sleep. Eventually she gets it by killing the baby that cries. Anton Chekhov writes, "and a moment later [Varka] is already fast asleep, like the dead..." Why does Chekhov write an ellipsis at the end of Varka's story? What is the reader led to believe?

(see the answer keys)

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