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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. After the publishing of the first installment, where was all of Murray's work done?

2. The author compared Murray's way of organizing his work on the Oxford English Dictionary to ______________.

3. What word did Huxley coin?

4. Minor saw his castration as a ________________ act.

5. How did Minor regard the Asylum?

Short Essay Questions

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

2. What is relevant about the fact that Minor was a fan of Huxley, particularly his idea of agnosticism?

3. The author only briefly mentions Dr. Hall's absence from the dinner. Why is this significant in relation to his opinion of Minor?

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

5. How did Minor come to be able to return to the United States at the end of his life? What obstacles did he face along the way?

6. What is controversial about the story of the meeting of Minor and Murray?

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

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

9. The author compares Murray to a general on a battlefield. Why?

10. Why could Minor more easily understand Murray's directions in comparison to others?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the author's use of symbolism in the text. Give examples.

Essay Topic 2

Discuss Minor's and Murray's respective childhoods and what parallels the author draws between their formative years and their later exploits in life.

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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