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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. How old would Billy be in the summer of 1974 if he had lived?

2. What does Johnnie say happened to Franny after she married Pierce?

3. What does Noel call Mari?

4. What does Pierce want to do at the end of Part IV?

5. In Chapter Eight, what does Chess admit to that Emily is mad about?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does Mari suspect her father keeps his distance from her?

2. Why does Mari resent Pierce regarding Billy's death?

3. How did Emily feel sick for so long?

4. What does Mari convince Pierce to do that seals his fate?

5. Why does Johnnie seem upset in Part III to Mari?

6. What does Lara want from Noel when she finds she is pregnant?

7. What is the legend about Saint Patrick's Purgatory?

8. What does Noel tell Mari she should do after the news comes of Pierce's wife's suicide?

9. What was one of Matt's and Emily's biggest fights over?

10. Why does Mari feel pressure to be a good writer?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

What are some early parallels Hawkins draws between Emily and Mari? Why does Emily begin to feel such a kinship with Mari? Write an essay explaining your answers, citing specific references to the text to help support your conclusions.

Essay Topic 2

How does Hawkins treat the idea of self-help and self-improvement through Emily's impressions of Chess's writing? Write an essay explaining your answers, citing specific references to the text to help support your conclusions.

Essay Topic 3

Why does Emily want to keep her exciting new writing project at Villa Aestas to herself, and in particular to keep it a secret from Chess? Write an essay explaining your answers, citing specific references to the text to help support your conclusions.

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