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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 did Dara's mother call the worn chaise in the bedroom?

2. What type of dance do the Durants specialize in?

3. What habit do Dara, Marie and Charlie share?

4. Who is the insurance claims adjustor?

5. How does Marie break in toe shoes?

Short Essay Questions

1. How do Dara's and Marie's parents die?

2. What has Marie done recently, before the start of the book, that Charlie and Dara are stung by?

3. What does Dara remember about her mother's and father's relationship?

4. What does Marie tell Dara about her affair with Derek?

5. Why does Dara refuse to touch students past a certain age?

6. What does Marie do to prepare her own pointe shoes for wear?

7. Why does Dara wait to tell Charlie about her worries about Marie in Part II?

8. How do the other students at the dance school generally treat the girl who is cast as Clara?

9. How do the parents at the school of dance generally interact with Dara?

10. What does Dara think about as the major differences between herself and Marie?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

What does Marie do in the early part of the novel that causes such strife between herself and her sister Dara? Write an essay explaining your answers, citing specific references to the text to help support your conclusions.

Essay Topic 2

Why is it so significant that Marie dyes her hair blond shortly after starting a relationship with Derek, and how do Dara and Charlie react to Marie's new look? Write an essay explaining your answers, citing specific references to the text to help support your conclusions.

Essay Topic 3

What is so alarming to Dara about Marie's new relationship with Derek, and how does Dara react to the relationship? Write an essay explaining your answers, citing specific references to the text to help support your conclusions.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 570 words (approx. 2 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample