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. May and Ruth work while Ruby does what?

2. The first few months of marriage are ___________.

3. Ruth becomes wrapped up in what?

4. Ruby continues to see his counselor who pushes him to do what?

5. Ruth wants to take Justin and disappear where?

Short Essay Questions

1. How did Ruby's father treat him?

2. To what does Ruth return home?

3. How do Ruby and Ruth celebrate their marriage?

4. What led to Ruby having a counselor?

5. Describe Ruth's labor and delivery.

6. What does May learn in April? How might this make her feel?

7. Describe Aunt Sid and Ruth's vacation together.

8. What does Ruth dream about doing? Why?

9. What does Ruth decide she and Ruby should do? How does this turn out? Why?

10. What leads to tension? What exacerbates this tension?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Ruby is hit by a car.

Part 1) Why was he hit by a car? How does this reveal Ruby's behavior and attitude at this time?

Part 2) How does this affect the other members of his family? Does he realize the consequences of his actions? Why or why not?

Part 3) What might you have done about Ruby after this accident? Why would you have done this?

Essay Topic 2

Tensions build in the Grey-Dahl household.

Part 1) How do tensions build at various times in the story? Why do they build? How does this tension affect the various characters?

Part 2) Is this tension worse at the end of the story? Why or why not? Could this tension have been relieved at any point? If so, how? If not, why not?

Part 3) How does tension help to move the plot along? How does it create action in this story?

Essay Topic 3

Ruth and Ruby meet on the lake.

Part 1) Describe this first meeting. What is learned about Ruby at this meeting? How does his past influence who he is at this point?

Part 2) How does this relationship progress? How is their demise foreshadowed? Why do they not see this?

Part 3) How different might Ruth's life have been if she had married Randall? Use the text to support your response.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,006 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample