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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. Who wrote "The Middle Years"?

2. Who is the man that the narrator is going to visit in Chapter 1?

3. How long was Lonoff in New York?

4. Where is Judge Wapter's wife from?

5. What type of philosophy does Lonoff have an abundance of?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does Zuckerman say he stays up in Lonoff's study?

2. Describe the Zuckerman family's typical Sunday brunch.

3. What does Zuckerman's first reading of Lonoff's work show him about his own life?

4. Describe the man Nathan Zuckerman meets in the beginning of Chapter 1.

5. What does Zuckerman tell Lonoff when he asks Zuckerman about his life in Chapter 1?

6. What does Zuckerman think might be a good idea for a writer based on the reactions of the New York party-goers at the publishing party?

7. What is pinned to the bulletin board in Lonoff's office?

8. Why does Zuckerman's father go to Judge Leopold Wapter with the "Higher Education" story?

9. Describe Lonoff's living room as Zuckerman sees it in Chapter 1.

10. What response does Zuckerman get when he mentions Lonoff's name at a publishing party?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Roth, a Jewish writer, also uses Jewish characters in his story. Those characters, in turn, reference other Jews and Jewish traditions and beliefs. Write a response exploring the importance of Zuckerman's repeated references to Anne Frank in light of being Jewish. Use specific references to the story in the response.

Essay Topic 2

In "The Ghost Writer," Roth uses the theme of the importance and role of family. What role does family play for each main character (Amy, Lonoff, Hope, Zuckerman)? How is each characters' family portrayed? How do the characters' families influence the book's plot? Use specific references to the story in the response.

Essay Topic 3

Each of "The Ghost Writer"s four chapters has a different title. Explain the relevance of each chapter's title in relation to the events of that particular chapter. What does each chapter title mean? How does the chapter title connect to the events of that chapter? Use specific references to the story in the response.

(see the answer keys)

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