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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. When Billy tells the landlady he is inquiring about a place to stay, she says what about the state of the room?

2. While staring in the window of the Bed and Breakfast, what instrument does Billy see?

3. Billy wants to be as successful as whom?

4. As Billy regards his surroundings, he notices that all the buildings appear how?

5. When Billy goes to enter the bed and breakfast, he does so how?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does the presence of the animals lead Billy to think?

2. Upon seeing the window of the bed and breakfast, how does Billy feel? How does he react?

3. Who is the protagonist of the story? What does the reader learn about him as the story begins?

4. What argument does Billy use to convince himself to stay at the bed and breakfast?

5. What does Billy tell the landlady when she opens the front door? What does she say in reply?

6. What is odd about how the landlady opens the door after Billy rings the bell? To what does he compare her?

7. What does the word "rapacious" mean? How might this description foreshadow what is to come?

8. Describe the landlady as she appears when Billy first encounters her.

9. Who is Mr. Greenslade and what directions did he give to Billy, as Billy remembers at the beginning of the story?

10. What is Billy wearing? How does he feel?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Analyze the author’s choice to tell this story using Billy’s limited perspective. How does this point of view create suspense for the reader?

Essay Topic 2

Write an essay analyzing how the author uses characters and behaviors to develop and strengthen the theme of possessiveness.

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the character of Billy. How does he illustrate both childhood and adulthood?

(see the answer keys)

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