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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. According to stories, how was the Quoyle house brought to its present location?

2. Who is responsible for the Home News Page?

3. Which character works in the school library twice a week?

4. What condition does Wavey's son suffer from?

5. Why does Bunny need to bring a box of tissues to school?

Short Essay Questions

1. Does Tert Card demonstrate the qualities required of a managing editor?

2. What change in Quoyle occurs following the incident of his article on the 'Hitler yacht'?

3. What is important, symbolically, about Quoyle's reluctance to move into the house on the point?

4. What is indicated by the image of Quoyle looking at the horizon?

5. How does the aunt account for her wish to return to Newfoundland?

6. In what way is the appearance of the Botterjacht ironic?

7. In what way are Billy and Quoyle connected?

8. What is significant about the different ways in which Quoyle and his aunt respond to the finding of Bayonet Melville's head?

9. Account for Quoyle's cherished hope that he was, in fact, a changeling.

10. How does the aunt respond to Quoyle's doubt over his ability to do the job?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the way the idea of personal freedom is dealt with in THE SHIPPING NEWS.

1) How would you define personal freedom? Does personal freedom imply that there are no responsibilities? What interferes with the exercise of personal freedom?

2)Discuss these ideas with focus on three characters from THE SHIPPING NEWS.

You should focus on three characters, giving equal discussion time to each.

Essay Topic 2

Write an essay about the important contrasts that are represented in THE SHIPPING NEWS.

1) Focus on contrasting values and attitudes. In what ways are those in Newfoundland different from what Quoyle has left behind? Illustrate by focusing on three characters and make frequent reference to the text.

2) Consider the contrast between life in Killick-Claw and that which Partridge describes in his phone call from Los Angeles.

3) Discuss the ways in which these contrasts support the themes of the novel.

Essay Topic 3

Identify two themes in THE SHIPPING NEWS. Discuss the ways in which the novelist uses character and circumstance to explore these themes. You should focus on Quoyle, Agnis and Jack Buggit.

(see the answer keys)

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