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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 has Charles built that surprises Stephen?

2. What is the truck driver's name?

3. Who do Stephen's parents encourage him to forget?

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

5. What is Stephen's mother's name?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does the headmaster respond when Stephen tells his story about Kate?

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

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

4. What happens when Stephen demands that the chauffeur stop the car?

5. How are Stephen's parents affected by the loss of Kate?

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

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

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

9. How does Stephen survive the crash with the truck?

10. What does Stephen realize after going to the school and not finding Kate?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Ian McEwan is a master at dramatic devices. Choose an example of symbolism, metaphors, and irony, briefly describe them and identify the technique which they embody.

Essay Topic 2

The government plays a pivotal role in maintaining the status quo and upholding certain expectations of etiquette and power dynamics. Who epitomizes this in The Child In Time? Who questions this? How is rebellion expressed and how is it squashed?

Essay Topic 3

Describe Thelma. What is her role in the story? What was McEwan trying to accomplish by creating Thelma's character in the novel?

(see the answer keys)

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