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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. In what religion are the High Holy Days a sacred time?
(a) Christianity.
(b) Islam.
(c) Hinduism.
(d) Judaism.

2. 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) The man will be angry that she wrote about him.
(b) There is no real resolution to his story.
(c) She is unclear about how she feels about the man.
(d) This might not be the right time to tell his story.

3. Besides reading the Bible, what else does the woman spend her time doing in the period of time her story is about?
(a) She looks out the window and watches the news.
(b) She calls each of her family members and friends.
(c) She reads the Koran and the Talmud.
(d) She shops for emergency supplies and fills her tub with water.

4. What does the landlady say the mayor gave her?
(a) Carpet.
(b) A stove.
(c) Flowers.
(d) An award.

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

Short Answer Questions

1. What detail in the description of the man indicates how ill he feels?

2. What detail does the story give about the shape of the tape on the windows?

3. What technique is used in the sentence: "The story is flat and even, just as the earth seems flat and even when a hurricane is advancing over it" (19)?

4. Where is the woman's landlady from?

5. What does the woman suspect that the man believes about his blasphemy?

(see the answer key)

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