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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 does Meade tell the students he wants to protect?

2. What part of Washington does Spenser walk around in this section?

3. To what instrument does Ronni hum along?

4. Who does Spenser tell Alexander he has taken care of?

5. Where were the two students attacked while campaigning for Alexander?

Short Essay Questions

1. What move does Spenser make when Morris leaves his office?

2. What does Meade talk about at the University of Lowell?

3. Why does Spenser say it is necessary to act aggressively towards Alexander in regards to his wife?

4. How does Spenser react to Alexander's telling him about the videotape?

5. Describe Spenser.

6. How much insight does Paul provide about Spenser's character in this section?

7. How does Spenser make the break-in look like a random burglary?

8. What problems does Ronni prove she has in this section?

9. Why is Spenser so sad at the end of the section?

10. How is Alexander being blackmailed?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

What does Robert B. Parker say about the nature of relationships and love? How does he use the main characters and story to express his view?

Essay Topic 2

Examine the author's writing style. How would you describe the author's prose style? What kind of vocabulary does he use? What meaning does the author's style give to the story?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the values of the 1980s.

1. In what ways are the characters a product of their time?

2. How does the book express the changes America was going through at the time?

3. Does modern society share any values with 1980s America?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 668 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample