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This test consists of 5 multiple choice questions, 5 short answer questions, and 10 short essay questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. When was the author of Weather in San Francisco born?
(a) 1935.
(b) 1964.
(c) 1950.
(d) 1949.

2. The author of The Elephant comes from where?
(a) Poland.
(b) Russia.
(c) Czechoslavakia.
(d) Ukraine.

3. Where does Blackberries take place?
(a) Scotland.
(b) New Zealand.
(c) Wales.
(d) Ireland.

4. Where is the university student in La Volpaia departing by train?
(a) Switzerland.
(b) Italy.
(c) England.
(d) France.

5. Who is the author of On Hope?
(a) Spencer Holst.
(b) Margaret Atwood.
(c) Jorge Luis Borges.
(d) Julio Cortazar.

Short Answer Questions

1. What are the Maori tribesmen fishing for in At the River?

2. Who becomes engaged to Freddie in An Insolvable Problem of Genetics?

3. Who wrote the story La Volpaia?

4. The old woman in Weather in San Francisco orders how much meat at the butcher's?

5. What is Gregory skilled at in the story with his name?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does the dentist get revenge in One of These Days? For what does he enact vengeance?

2. How does Richard Brautigan make use of imagery and dramatic twist in The Weather in San Francisco?

3. What is the objective of the protagonist in The Laugher? When is he the happiest?

4. Describe the time span and theme in The Blue Jar?

5. What takes place in the story Homage to Isaac Babel? Who are the main characters?

6. Describe the themes and political motif in One of These Days. What other story in the collection shares similar themes?

7. What stories in the beginning of the collection focus on the theme of aging? How do these stories relate to one another?

8. What is the taboo subject central in the story The Boy? How does the narrative play out?

9. How does the gypsy try getting rid of the stolen item in On Hope? How is he thwarted in his attempts?

10. What happens to the narrator's friend in At the River? How does he discover this?

(see the answer keys)

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