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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. When Joe Markey comes downstairs and hears Edith insult his wife and child, what does he tell Edith to do?

2. How old is Ede when the story takes place?

3. What begins to happen after the children have their cake and ice cream?

4. What causes the two men to stop fighting?

5. What technique is used in the page 3 phrase "the weary merry-go-round of the commuting train"?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does John Andros see as the drawbacks to being a father?

2. How do the mothers react to Ede, and how does she react to the party?

3. What does Edith do each weekday afternoon, and why?

4. What causes Edith to laugh during the altercation between Ede and Billy?

5. How does the dispute between Ede and Billy begin, and what happens during their argument?

6. What does Mrs. Markey say about Ede when she and Edith are first talking, and how does Edith react?

7. How does Edith feel about talking to Mrs. Markey?

8. Before John arrives at the party, why is Edith irritated with him?

9. What does John hear when he approaches the Markeys' house, and what is his response?

10. Describe the setting of "The Baby Party."

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Why does Fitzgerald choose to include the detail of Ede's phone calls with her father as well as the phone conversation between Edith and John about the baby party? Write an essay that makes and defends a claim about the significance of phone conversations in the story. Use textual evidence to defend your assertions.

Essay Topic 2

Write an essay that makes and defends a claim about the characterization of Edith Andros. Support your assertions with evidence from the text.

Essay Topic 3

Write an essay that examines the comic techniques that Fitzgerald uses in "The Baby Party." While it is important to specifically identify these techniques and give examples of their use, remember that the main focus of analytical writing is to explain how the techniques work and how they support meaning.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 882 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample