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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 Mrs. Wheatley offer Beth, when Beth returns to the hotel room?

2. What does Beth decide about the U.S. Championships?

3. Although she and Benny would be co-champions and split the prize money, Beth is not consoled. Why?

4. Why does Beth call Allston Wheatley?

5. Why is Mrs. Wheatley suddenly interested in opening a bank account for Beth?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Beth feel about seeing Townes again in Chapter 6?

2. Why is Beth worried at the end of Chapter 5?

3. How does Beth feel about losing to Benny Watts?

4. How does Beth react to not winning the tournament in Mexico City?

5. How does Harry Beltik help improve Beth skills at chess?

6. What is Mrs. Wheatley’s response to Beth winning at chess?

7. Why is Beth feeling as if her time with Benny is coming to an end at the end of Chapter 11?

8. How do Beth’s and Mrs. Wheatley’s spending habits change throughout Chapter 5?

9. How does Beth feel about the tournament in Ohio in Chapter 10?

10. How does Beth feel, at first, at the college party?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Beth is placed in an orphanage early on in the book. What were orphanages like during this time period? Why might they have been this way? Based on the information given in the book, how did institutions such as this one affect the children in them? How might they have also affected the adults who worked there?

Essay Topic 2

Beth gets involved with several men. Describe her relationships with them. What similarities are there? How does the man’s intelligence and ability or inability to play chess influence her feelings for them? How do her physical relationships compare to other relationships she has?

Essay Topic 3

Beth’s risk-taking increases as the story develops. What are the pros and cons of Beth being a risk-taker? What is the connection between her risk-taking and self-worth? How is her risky behavior related to her addictions?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 820 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample