View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What does Augie steal from the department store at Christmas time, leading to his prompt firing from the position?

2. What is the name of Augie's childhood best friend?

3. In what year of high school does Augie get his job working for William Einhorn?

4. What color hair does Augie have?

5. Why didn't Mr. Renling want to hire Augie when he first applied for the job?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is Augie's relationship to his younger brother, Georgie?

2. Who is William Einhorn?

3. What other famous disabled persons does Augie contemplate as he is caring for William Einhorn?

4. Who is Augie meant to marry when he is a teenager, and what is his reaction to this agreement?

5. What quarrelsome love triangle does Augie have to sort out, even though he is not involved in it?

6. How does William accommodate his wife's decorating whims in their living room?

7. What lecture does William give to Augie after the break in at his pool hall?

8. How is Augie received when he meets the Magnus family for the first time?

9. Why is Augie fired from his job at Deever's Department Store?

10. Why does the Magnus family demand for the breakup of Augie and Lucy?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Describe the situation in which Mimi Villa got pregnant. Why did she decide to terminate her pregnancy? Then, describe the process Mimi had to go through to end her pregnancy. Was the procedure safe? Why or why not? Finally, compare the reaction from the women in Mimi's life to her abortion with the reaction from the men. What sociological statement do you think Bellows is making about abortion through these interactions? Be sure to include examples from the text to strengthen your arguments.

Essay Topic 2

Both Augie and Simon become romantically involved with wealthy families at various times in their lives. Describe the ideal of a "kept man" as described in the novel. Which March boy do you think is more of a kept man, Simon or Augie? How can you tell? Then, describe Augie's reaction to Simon's relationship with his wealthy wife. What does Augie admire about the relationship? What does he condemn? Explain whether or not you think Augie becomes hypocritical of Simon when he becomes involved with his own wealthy wife. What is the same about these two relationships? What is different? Is there anything unexpected or surprising in this comparison? Be sure to include examples from the text to strengthen your arguments.

Essay Topic 3

While Augie is aboard the MacManus working for the Merchant Marines, he is one of two men who manage to live through the ship's sinking. Describe the way that Augie managed to save his life when all the other soldiers went down with the ship. Then, describe the way that Augie paid homage to the lives of the sailors lost at sea. To whom did he tell the sailor's stories? Finally, describe how Augie finally made it back to land after drifting in the water for days. What was Augie's emotional reaction to his homecoming? Be sure to include examples from the text to strengthen your arguments.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,131 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample