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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. In "Peppermint Tea," how long has Joe been married?

2. What color watch is Nora wearing in "Fire"?

3. What language does Nora regret not sticking with?

4. Where does Nora's former best friend Izzy live?

5. Who had been Nora's only friend at String Theory before she moved back to Scotland?

Short Essay Questions

1. Who is the librarian?

2. Who comes to Nora's door in "The Man at the Door, and why does he come to see Nora?

3. What does Nora realize after she learns that Voltaire had a heart condition?

4. At the end of "The Chessboard," what life does Nora wish to try next?

5. In "Fire," what does Nora remember that she had loved about swimming?

6. Who is Mrs. Elm, and why does Nora like to spend time with her when she is in school?

7. In "The Tree That Is Our Life," what does Nora say about life?

8. What does Nora learn about her parents in "The Successful Life"?

9. Why are there no lives where Voltaire is still alive?

10. How did Nora learn of her father's death, and how did he die?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

At the end of the book, Nora visits Mrs. Elm at the nursing home. What is different about Mrs. Elm at the nursing home? What regrets does Mrs. Elm have? How is Mrs. Elm just as imperfect as Nora?

Essay Topic 2

Analogies are used to compare an unfamiliar object or idea to a familiar one in an attempt to explain the unfamiliar. How does the author use analogies in the book? How do analogies help readers understand unfamiliar ideas or understand events or characters?

Essay Topic 3

An aphorism is a statement that expresses a truth or an opinion in a succinct manner. What are some aphorisms that Mrs. Elm uses? How do the aphorisms help Nora understand ideas and concepts?

(see the answer keys)

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