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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. Although the men in the bar think Harry is a good dancer, they are less enthusiastic about his ______________ skills.

2. What does Joe want Tom to get for him?

3. Why is Dudley so excited after receiving a phone call?

4. What is the name of the horse that Joe claims to have won?

5. What are the initials on the bag of a woman Joe is fixated on?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does the author foreshadow some conflict regarding the character of Blick?

2. How does Tom play into Kitty's childhood dreams of what she wanted for her life?

3. What activity in the hallway interrupts Kitty's melancholy state?

4. How does the author use the different characters to show the different elements that make up American society?

5. How does Kitty take advantage of Tom's naivete and feelings of love for her?

6. What job does Nick agree to pay Wesley to do?

7. On what topic does Tom uncharacteristically challenge Joe?

8. What happens when Willie finally beats the marble machine?

9. Why is the appearance of Nick's daughter such an emotional experience for him?

10. How does Nick show his soft-hearted side to those who are down on their luck?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Alcohol seems to be an unnamed character in the book. How pervasive is the abuse? Why does it have such a prevalent place in the characters' lives? How does it affect the abusers? How does it affect those impacted by the abusers? Explain how an inanimate object or characteristic can be a character.

Essay Topic 2

Project into the future ten years and write a brief synopsis for the lives of Nick, Joe, Tom and Kitty. Be sure to include emotional states as well as physical characteristics, geographic locations, work, hobbies, socialization, etc.

Essay Topic 3

The marble machine almost becomes a character in the book because it plays such an important role in the story. Explain how an inanimate object can be a character in a story and how the marble machine "interacted" with the "other" characters. Cite three examples to support your claim.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,160 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample