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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 one of the things Marya thinks about while riding back home?

2. Who is Marya's cart driver in "The Schoolmistress"?

3. What does Marya recall Hanov's exam papers smelling like the year before?

4. In what month does "The Schoolmistress" take place?

5. Who is the author of "The Schoolmistress"?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Marya think of the school inspector?

2. What is the only thing Marya keeps from her past?

3. What news from Moscow does Semyon tell Marya he heard at Ivan Ionov's tavern?

4. What do readers learn of Marya's past at the start of "The Schoolmistress"?

5. What does Marya Vassilyevna do for work? How long has she had the occupation? Where is she going at the start of "The Schoolmistress"?

6. Describe Hanov.

7. What does Marya think of on the cart at the start of "The Schoolmistress"?

8. Which of Marya's coworkers does she try to get dismissed and what comes of it?

9. What does Marya think of Hanov as their cart follows his?

10. What did Hanov do at Marya's school the year before the story takes place?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Write an essay comparing and contrasting Hanov and Marya in "The Schoolmistress." What details help develop their character and what do these details tell you about them? What is their background? How do they know each other? How do they interact? In what ways are they similar or different? Explain.

Essay Topic 2

Write an essay exploring the theme of isolation in “The Schoolmistress.”

Essay Topic 3

Write an essay discussing the setting and time period of “The Schoolmistress.” In what ways does the time period and setting impact your understanding of the story as well as the themes?

(see the answer keys)

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