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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. How did William Marshall Howland die?

2. In the first Book of Abigail, what month is it?

3. Who says, "liars' tongues drop off"?

4. In the first chapter, who built the porch that Abigail stands on?

5. In what direction has the sun set at the beginning of "The Keepers of the House"?

Short Essay Questions

1. What delays William's trip into the swamp to find the Robertson's liquor still?

2. What caused the "ugly smears" in the sky in October in the first section?

3. In the first Book of Abigail, what does Abigail remember of being a child in this house?

4. What is the reaction when William subscribes to the New York Tribune at his daughter's request?

5. Describe the Howland tomb and its eventual use.

6. Describe Lorena Adams.

7. Immediately after Lorena's death, what plants does William notice?

8. What has survived the frost in the first section to Abigail's surprise and how?

9. What does the narrator mean when she says that the county will find out about her oldest daughters being sent away because "they always know everything"?

10. How is the content of "The Keepers of the House" organized?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The time span of this novel is many years. Estimate the time period of each "book" and explain how you came to this conclusion.

Essay Topic 2

Describe what the author means by "keep your heart ticking under the sheltering arches of your ribs."

Essay Topic 3

Describe the effects of the Depression on the Howland family.

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