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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. Who is Rhonda?

2. Who is Sandy?

3. What color does Lucille decide to paint her new room?

4. What does Lucille drink with dinner in Section 3?

5. What secret skill does Arthur have?

Short Essay Questions

1. What happens to Frank at the start of Section 3?

2. What does Maddy say about death, to Arthur, in Section 4?

3. How would you describe Lucille and Maddy's relationship in Section 4?

4. What is discussed between Steven and Arthur in Section 3?

5. How does Arthur indicate that he is ready for death in Section 4?

6. What is Maddy's new bedroom at Arthur's like?

7. Where does Maddy tell Arthur she has been staying when they meet in July in Section 3?

8. How does Maddy feel when Arthur tells her, in Section 4, that he has asked Lucille to move in with them?

9. What does Lucille admit to Arthur that she did the day after Frank died, in Section 3?

10. What is Lucille's house like, in Section 3, when Arthur brings her over a plate of food?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

What does Maddy's baby symbolize in the novel?

Essay Topic 2

In the novel, Berg writes, "Frankly saying, who cares what happens before we're born and after we die? The question is, what do we do in the meantime?" (132). How does this quote highlight some of the key themes in the novel?

Essay Topic 3

Consider the themes of loss and death in the novel. Select two characters and analyze how this theme impacts their development.

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