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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 does Kalman do in protest about the planned changes at his school?

2. What does Danny give Michael?

3. With whom does Rav Kalman have an intense argument?

4. What does Reuven realize about Danny's work with Michael?

5. Where is Reuven at the opening of Chapter 9?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Danny tell Reuven and what is Reuven's reaction?

2. What does Michael do when Reuven says he is going inside because he is cold?

3. What does Kalman say to Reuven about his smicha exam?

4. Describe the altercation between Kalman and Greenfield.

5. What does Michael say about Rav Kalman's article?

6. What is the impact of David Malter's book and Kalman's ensuing article on the Yeshiva where David teaches?

7. What is Michael's recent disturbing behavior and what precipitated Michael's actions?

8. About what is Reuven's father happy?

9. What happens when Reuven goes in to Michael's room to see him after the fire?

10. What is the difference in scholarly approaches between Kalman and Reuven's father.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

In Chapter 4, the narrator says that Danny is raised by his father with a barrier of silence - they only spoke when they studied Talmud. This was to teach Danny suffering. Discuss the following:

1. Do you think Rebbe Saunders' method of raising Danny helped him to learn about suffering?

2. What else do you think it may have taught Danny?

3. Why do you think Rebbe Saunders thinks Danny needs to learn suffering?

4. Do you think Danny's mother had any say in the way Danny is raised in silence?

Essay Topic 2

Kalman picks on Reuven by having him read Gemora aloud and critiques his interpretations. Reuven reads Kalman's book on ethics. Discuss the following:

1. What is ethics? How do you think the topic figures in during the telling of The Promise?

2. Why do you think Kalman is picking on Reuven in class?

3. Do you think it is ironic that Kalman wrote a book on ethics and yet he obviously picks on a student just because Kalman sees him with someone with whom Kalman disagrees?

4. Discuss the major characters (Kalman, Reuven, Danny, Professor Gordon, Michael Gordon and David Malter) and tell why you think each is ethical or not, giving one example for each to illustrate your point.

Essay Topic 3

Oftentimes, a book is more of a character-driven plot rather than action driven, and oftentimes the other way. Some books seem to balance the two. Discuss the following:

1. What do you think it means to say that a plot is character driven? Action driven?

2. How do you think a plot differs if it is character driven versus action driven?

3. Which type of plot do you find more interesting? Why?

4. Do you think it is possible to have a plot where action and character development share equal time? Why or why not.

5. What type of plot do you think The Promise is? Explain your response.

(see the answer keys)

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