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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 Thelma say that she noticed existed between the Prime Minister and Charles?

2. When the chauffeur refuses to stop, what does Stephen do?

3. Where do Stephen's parents live?

4. Who does Stephen think is Kate at the school?

5. When is Stephen supposed to meet the Prime Minister and be picked up for a ride?

Short Essay Questions

1. When Morely gives Stephen the book, what does it reveal about the government, subcommittees, and the actual research?

2. Why does Stephen want to get out of the Prime Minister's car?

3. Why does the young man at the subcommittee meeting believe that learning written languages at an early age is not a good idea?

4. Why does the driver of the truck want Stephen to write down two notes?

5. When Stephen talks about his bicycle memory near the sea, how do his parents respond?

6. When the secretary insists that Stephen meet with the Prime Minister, how does he respond?

7. What does Stephen discover about Charles when Thelma gives him directions to where Charles is in the woods?

8. When the chauffeur arrives to pick up Stephen, how does he respond to Stephen's comments about the ragged car?

9. Why does the handbook excerpt say that it is acceptable to bribe children for good behavior?

10. What does Stephen say about writing and music and early childhood education at the subcommittee meeting?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Explain the significance of the novel's title. What did the author mean by calling the book The Child In Time? Cite an example to support your answer.

Essay Topic 2

Politics are also referred to in the book. McEwan refers to the politics of the society of The Child In Time during 1987 when Thatcher was in power. How does the politics Ian describes in the book compare to that of his own world? Do you think politics are an important part of the book? How else could McEwan incorporate politics into the book? Also examine the use of politics in relationships.

Essay Topic 3

One of the main themes in the book is ethical and social responsibility. List at least four examples where McEwan employs this specific theme. Is the battle between making ethical choices obvious or subtle? What characters are involved in this kind of battle? Do you think the right person or group won? Does good always triumph over evil in the case of The Child In Time ethics?

(see the answer keys)

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