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This quiz consists of 5 multiple choice and 5 short answer questions through Section 1: The Center of the Story.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. Why does the man in the story feel so ill?
(a) He has food poisoning.
(b) He is having a heart attack.
(c) He has cancer.
(d) He has the flu.

2. What detail does the story give about the shape of the tape on the windows?
(a) It is shaped like asterisks.
(b) It is shaped like diamonds.
(c) It is shaped like crosses.
(d) It is shaped like the letter "x."

3. For what reason, besides that "there may not be enough to tell about him," does the woman think that the man might not be the right "center" for her story (20)?
(a) She is unclear about how she feels about the man.
(b) The man will be angry that she wrote about him.
(c) This might not be the right time to tell his story.
(d) There is no real resolution to his story.

4. What does the hurricane do to the city in the woman's story?
(a) Produces winds that uproot trees and tear off several roofs.
(b) Drops large hail that smashes windows in buildings and in cars.
(c) Causes flooding that disrupts transportation.
(d) Passes by without actually striking the city.

5. Who is "thinking of writing a letter to the President" (20)?
(a) The woman at the church.
(b) The main character.
(c) The man who thinks he is dying.
(d) The landlady.

Short Answer Questions

1. What detail of the woman's train ride reinforces the motif of things that come close to happening but do not actually happen?

2. How does the woman realize her study of religion has made her feel?

3. What technique is used in the phrase "the stink of burning hair, fur, and horn" (19)?

4. What does the woman think might be preventing her from committing to a center for her story?

5. What specific Biblical story does the writer focus on?

(see the answer key)

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