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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 medication does the narrator take to soothe her sore ankle?

2. Where was the landscape architect's mother born?

3. What are the lower gardens in the heart of the public park replaced with, at the generals' behest?

4. What does the narrator's partner buy in preparation for the emergency in "Future Emergencies"?

5. What does the narrator of "Future Emergencies" see someone wearing some time after the emergency that startles her?

Short Essay Questions

1. What irrational thought does the narrator have as she tries to catch up with Ershadi in the Zen garden?

2. What is the ultimate reason the authorities give for distributing gas masks?

3. What problems does the narrator in the story "Seeing Ershadi" have in her career?

4. How does Krauss explain the details of how the narrator and Sophie end up in a refugee camp?

5. What does the narrator in the story "Seeing Ershadi" think about the film Taste of Cherry?

6. What experience does Romi tell the narrator about Ershadi?

7. What does Sophie sometimes do in the refugee camp to keep the others amused?

8. What prompts the narrator to get back in touch with Romi again after many years of not communicating?

9. What is one clear event that Sophie remembers led to her and Ezra's final breakup?

10. What does Romi tell the narrator she sees differently watching the film Taste of Cherry years after seeing it for the first time?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

How would you describe the nature of the unnamed narrator's relationship with Victor in the story "End Days," and how does her discovery of her pregnancy change it? Write an essay explaining your answers.

Essay Topic 2

In the story "Switzerland," what connections or parallels does Krauss draw between very young women's burgeoning sexuality, power, and vulnerability? Write an essay explaining your answers, citing specific references to the text to help support your conclusions.

Essay Topic 3

Why do you think Krauss has chosen to leave so many of her narrators and main characters unnamed? How does this choice affect a reader's experience of the collection? Write an essay explaining your answers.

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