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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. Approximately how many suicides had Kevorkian assisted in by the end of 1996?

2. In what year did Jack Kevorkian assist in his first suicide?

3. What did Lynch not want at his funeral?

4. What magazines did Lynch find on the wife's side of the bed?

5. What was Reader's favorite holiday?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why have more and more Americans opted for cremation, according to Lynch?

2. What did Lynch mean when he said that "in even the best of caskets, it never all fits"?

3. How did Lynch feel about the prospect of his loved ones feeling guilt at his funeral?

4. How did the funeral processions through town change when the Oak Grove bridge collapsed?

5. Why did authors such as Jessica Mitford attack the funeral industry?

6. How does Sweeney approach the consuming of food delicacies?

7. What did Lynch want from his funeral, when all was said and done?

8. Describe Lynch's grandmothers.

9. What did Lynch see as the advantage of being at the midpoint of one's life?

10. How does Lynch describe people's different approaches to living life at the end of Chapter 8 and which approach did Sweeney take?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Lynch discussed the criticisms faced by his profession from various authors and the media. Were these criticisms justified? Is there something inherent in the field that makes it impossible for "customers" to get a fair deal? Does preplanning a funeral help avoid some of the more difficult issues? Why do people criticize the profession as a whole while insisting that they themselves had a positive experience in the past? How does Lynch defend his profession?

Essay Topic 2

In discussing the divorce of his friend, Henry Nugent, Lynch said divorced men in our society are seen as damaged goods. What did he mean by that? In what ways was the divorce easier on Nugent's ex-wife? How does divorce affect the father's relationship with the children? How did Lynch's divorce differ from many other American divorces?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the assisted suicide doctor, Jack Kevorkian. Why were so many people willing to allow him to "assist" them in killing themselves? How does Lynch view the notion of providing someone with assistance in suicide? How did the general public react to Kevorkian and why was he not convicted? Is there an absolute value of life or can society reach an agreement about when people may choose to end theirs?

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