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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 new year comes shortly after Olivia's electrocution in "Trunk"?

2. What kind of tree does Dorothy drive into, crashing her car?

3. In what area of law does Ray Brinkman specialize?

4. What crops do Jorgen Hoel and his wife plant in their first season in Iowa?

5. Where does Olivia sleep when she first stops on her journey in "Trunk"?

Short Essay Questions

1. What leads Adam Appich to his joining the group of activists?

2. How do the Hoel chestnut trees get planted? What happens to them?

3. How is Nicholas Hoel's childhood described?

4. Who records the growth of the Hoel chestnut tree? How is it recorded?

5. What was the Stanford Prison Experiment?

6. What connection does Adam Appich have to trees in his childhood?

7. Why does Ray's profession affect his relationship with Dorothy?

8. What leads to the downfall of Patricia Westerford's career? How is it revived?

9. Describe the opening scene presented in the preface of "Roots." How does this scene set up the novel?

10. What is Olivia Vandergriff's life like prior to her electrocution?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the theme of connection in The Overstory. How does the author explore this theme both literally and metaphorically? What symbols are the reflection of connection? How?

Essay Topic 2

Describe and discuss the plot structure of The Overstory. What is the inciting incident in the novel? Where does the climax occur? What information is related in the falling action and denouement?

Essay Topic 3

Analyze and discuss the character of Mimi Ma in The Overstory. How are Mimi's childhood and education described? Into what career does she enter? How does she become involved with activism?

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