View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. How does Therese kill herself?

2. Which of the girls engages in promiscuous sexual relationships?

3. What do the boys find in the basement?

4. What major project is the Parks Department working on?

5. Who visits Lux in the hospital?

Short Essay Questions

1. What happens on Trip Fontaine's vacation in Acapulco that changes his life significantly?

2. What signs did the Lisbon girls show of rejoining the community?

3. Describe Mr. Lisbon's vision of a ghost.

4. What rebellious activities does Lux engage in?

5. Describe the state of the Lisbon house in Chapter 4.

6. How does Mr. Lisbon's behavior at school change after Cecilia's suicide?

7. How do the Lisbon girls save, at least temporarily, their elm tree?

8. What do the boys see when they first look into the Lisbons' home on June 15th?

9. What was the media's first reaction to Cecilia's suicide, and why?

10. How did Lux's date end?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Lux Lisbon becomes the one that we as readers know the most intimately. In a well-developed essay, describe her character, how it differs from her sisters', and how she fits into her family.

Essay Topic 2

Jeffrey Eugenides opens the book with the last Lisbon girl's suicide. How does that set the tone for the novel? Is it helpful to the reader or does it take away from the story?

Essay Topic 3

The character of Old Mrs. Karafilis is introduced in Chapter 4 and is only active for a short portion of the book. She, however, represents several important factors otherwise missing from the characters surrounding the Lisbon girls' tragedy. Describe Old Mrs. Karafilis, her connection to the girls, and the importance her character has on the telling of the story.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 858 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample