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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 is John's relationship to Dolly?

2. Why did Anna not cry when Michael died?

3. What did Anna do every day in "Debts"?

4. Who lives in The Children of Judea in "Faith in the Afternoon"?

5. What does Freddy receive in the mail from Dotty at the end of "The Contest"?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Clifford say to Faith in "A Subject of Childhood" which angers her? How does she react?

2. Why were Josie and Browny unable to marry? How often did they stay in touch after?

3. What does Rose tell Lillie to tell her mother at the end of "Goodbye and Good Luck"? Why?

4. Describe John and his mother Dolly's relationship in "Distance." What details show you what their relationship is like?

5. Who is Josie in "A Woman, Young and Old"? How old is she? How does she behave around Browny?

6. In "An Irrevocable Diameter," what deal does Charles make with Cindy's family in exchange for withdrawing charges? What is their life like after?

7. Why is Shirley's mother uncomfortable about her performing in her school's Christmas play? What theme does Shirley note in the play?

8. In "Faith in the Afternoon," when Faith learns about what has happened to her old friend Tess she says Tess never guessed her life were turn out like that. What happened to Tess? What things happened to Faith and Anita Franklin that they would have never guessed?

9. Describe Charles C. Charly's behavior in the courtroom in "An Irrevocable Diameter." How does Cindy react when he is questioned?

10. How does Dotty manage the contest prize money and trip?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Write an essay about the author of The Collected Stories of Grace Paley. Who is she? What else has she written? How is The Collected Stories of Grace Paley representative of her work and life?

Essay Topic 2

Write an essay exploring the theme of motherhood in Paley's collection.

Essay Topic 3

Examine how the theme of race plays a part in the plot of the stories in the collection.

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This section contains 868 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample