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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 is Vincent Gigante's nickname?

2. Where does most of the money that Moses had wanted for bridges now go to?

3. What does Tavern on the Green need to destroy to build their parking lot?

4. What will happen if Rockefeller breaks the bond covenants?

5. What is the name of the New York Mayor in this section?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why wouldn't firing Moses diminish his power?

2. What problem does New York City have with some of its buildings in Part 5, Chapter 34?

3. How is Moses able to maintain a good life even though he is not rich?

4. How does society start to reward Moses towards the end of his life?

5. How does Moses deal with people who will not move out of their apartments?

6. Who are Henry Cohen and Hortense Gabel?

7. Describe Moses' housing project.

8. How does Rockefeller get Moses' support for his transportation plan?

9. What problems does Moses have at the World Fair in Part 7, Chapter 47?

10. Why does the mayor not fire Moses?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Look at the structure of the book.

1) Discuss elements of the narrative structure: exposition, conflict, complication, climax, resolution and conclusion. Do all the elements make for a logical and linear story? How does the story's structure express the book's ideas?

2) Aside from Robert Moses, examine the way Caro uses the other people in the story to express his point of view.

Essay Topic 2

Identify the main themes of the story. Why do you think these themes are so important to the story? How does Caro use character and setting to express these themes?

Essay Topic 3

In what way did Moses take advantage of the Great Depression? Why did the end of WWII mark a gradual decline in Moses' powerful hold over New York City?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 795 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample