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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. The man tells the woman that he has committed "blasphemy" (20). What has he done?
(a) Contemplated suicide.
(b) Cursed God's name.
(c) Shown disrespect to God.
(d) Told a harmful lie about someone.

2. Who is the author of "The Center of the Story"?
(a) Doris Betts.
(b) Lydia Davis.
(c) Judith Frank.
(d) Maile Chapman.

3. What specific Biblical story does the writer focus on?
(a) Noah's Ark.
(b) The Garden of Eden.
(c) The Trials of Job.
(d) Jonah and the Great Fish.

4. For the majority of the story, what tone does the narrator adopt?
(a) Melancholic.
(b) Dismissive.
(c) Objective.
(d) Amused.

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

Short Answer Questions

1. Why does the main character find that the story she is working on is not an easy one to write?

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

3. On her train ride, what does the woman realize she has not given much thought to?

4. What color is the light in the man's bedroom?

5. After completing her first draft of the story, what does the woman realize about it?

(see the answer key)

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