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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 happens when David sits next to Cusk on the IRS van?

2. What does the narrator say Cusk is avoiding in Chapter 27?

3. What does David first talk about in the beginning of Chapter 22?

4. In Chapter 22, what word does David use to describe himself in his youth?

5. In Chapter 26, which is the oldest phantom?

Short Essay Questions

1. In Chapter 22, what details does David give to explain his parents' divorce?

2. How does David describe the van ride after he is hired by the IRS?

3. What concerns Lane Dean Jr. most about the work he does in Chapter 33?

4. How do the IRS employees entertain themselves in Chapter 32?

5. In Chapter 22, what reason does David give for going to the IRS for a job?

6. Why doesn't David exit the van in Chapter 24 with the other people?

7. Why does David feel he wasted his youth in Chapter 22?

8. What is Chapter 25 about?

9. How does David's father's arm get stuck in the train?

10. In Chapter 27, why is the word "profitable" not used officially?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

How does the author create setting throughout this novel? How does the IRS become a driving force behind the creation of setting? What makes the setting of this novel important to the novel as a whole?

Essay Topic 2

Explore the author's commentary on government in "The Pale King". What is the preferred relationship between government and citizen? What is the relationship between government and government employee?

Essay Topic 3

Explore the theme of success in this novel. What things make people successful? What things impede success? What is the overall message about success in this novel?

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