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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. What does Sue say is causing the faint smell in the house?

2. Who tries to lighten the conversation in the pool hall when someone gets upset?

3. While in the cellar in Chapter 7, what is it that Jack has forgotten?

4. What positive effect does the smell of Jack's hands have?

5. What object is the focus of Jack's nightmares?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why do Jack and Sue get excited when they investigate the strange smell in the cellar?

2. What happened to the children when they were left alone one time previously?

3. What strange experience happens to Jack when he goes to the shops to spend his birthday money?

4. What do the girls say about Jack and Tom's appearances when they are dressing Tom like a girl?

5. When he asks to do so, why won't Sue let Jack read excerpts from her diary?

6. Explain how Julie's punch of Jack turns into sex with him.

7. How does the book end?

8. Three weeks after Mother's death, how does Sue spend her time?

9. Jack thinks his hands smell like rotten meat. What does he do? What is really causing the smell?

10. What is the conversation between Derek and Jack as they leave the pool hall?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Define foil. Who is the foil of this novel and why?

Essay Topic 2

What is the difference between tone and mood in literature? How are they similar? How are both communicated to a reader?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the roles transferred by Mother to Julie and Jack. What effect does this transfer have on the family unit as a whole?

(see the answer keys)

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