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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. How many defining sentences were in Minor's response to the word with which Murray was having problems?

2. Why did many people write from abroad regarding Minor?

3. Who came first to the Broadmoor Asylum?

4. Who was the editor of the Oxford English Dictionary in 1915?

5. Describe Minor's routine for writing his first book.

Short Essay Questions

1. What was one of the greatest mistakes Murray made upon arriving at Broadmoor and speaking to the superintendent?

2. What does Murray's Scriptorium represent to present day scholars of the English language?

3. What was the overarching reason why Murray decided to visit Minor?

4. What was miraculous about Mrs. Merrett deciding to see Minor at Broadmoor?

5. It is suggested that Murray's letter to Minor was a token of forgiveness. Why?

6. What showed the great essence of teamwork between Murray and Minor?

7. Why do you think Murray so grossly underestimated the amount of time it would take to finish the Oxford English Dictionary after the first publication of the first book?

8. Do you think it is the author's opinion that electroshock therapy affected Minor?

9. What effect did Murray and his workers' reliance on Minor's letters and help have on Minor?

10. What can one infer from the fact that Minor had many people who wrote letters to Broadmoor, inquiring about his health and well-being?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

While Minor and Murray are the central figures in the text, secondary figures are also an important element of the book. Explore the ways in which three of these secondary figures are shown to have had an important influence on the events of the two protagonists' lives.

Essay Topic 2

It could be argued that the author portrays a sense of injustice regarding the events surrounding Minor's diagnosis as being criminally insane and eventual incarceration. Do you agree with this? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 3

What is significant about the fact that the text has two protagonists, Minor and Murray, and that the author himself points out that this goes against the definition of the word in "Modern English Usage," which states that protagonist can only be used in the singular?

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This section contains 863 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample