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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 does the man order the narrator to do before he hangs himself?

2. Why does the man say he is fed up?

3. What does the man want the narrator to do when he has the rope around his neck?

4. What did Jim's father die of?

5. What does Jim say is the first thing him and Phylis need to do?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why is the man's suicide attempt unsuccessful?

2. Describe the chase between the collector and Colin?

3. Why do Lennox's workmates tease him?

4. Why does the man want to kill himself?

5. What do Bert and Colin do on the way home?

6. What are Fred and wife's views about what is happening next door?

7. What is Bert's plan to cheat at the penny game?

8. How are Bert and Colin different to each other?

9. How does the narrator describe Jim's mother?

10. How does Jim's mother react to him telling her he is getting married?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Choose one of the stories and examine what comment it makes about British society? How has British society changed since the story was written? How much was literature and art an important part of this change?

Essay Topic 2

What do the stories say about life in northern England in pre-war Britain? How does northern England differ from southern England? What conflicts are there between the two areas and why?

Essay Topic 3

Examine the British class system.

1. What points does Sillitoe make about the British class system?

2. Why is it so difficult for two classes to get on together?

3. How have peoples' attitudes towards class changed in the different time periods portrayed in the book?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 705 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample