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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. Before the unnamed narrator saw her future one-night stand's face, he grabbed onto what part of her body?

2. The unnamed narrator states that she believed her married lover when he made what promise?

3. What food did the unnamed narrator consistently eat during John's health kick?

4. Who suggested the prospect of a game at the gathering featured in Fresno, 2014?

5. Which poet's name did the unnamed narrator's role-playing partner fail to recognize?

Short Essay Questions

1. When the identity of the father of the unnamed narrator's child is finally revealed, who is it?

2. For what reason did the unnamed narrator make several attempts to commit adultery before she was successful?

3. Discuss the stream-of-consciousness style in which Topics of Conversation is written.

4. How does the unnamed narrator describe the fertility problems she and John experienced during their marriage?

5. In what specific setting does the story told by the unnamed narrator in the section entitled Santa Barbara, 2016 take place?

6. What worldview did Fran express during her tirade depicted in Fresno, 2014 and how does the narrator now view Fran's comments?

7. In what way does Popkey purposely mislead the reader at the start of the section called San Francisco, 2012?

8. What three feelings does the unnamed narrator recall feeling when John expressed interest in marriage counseling?

9. What is the setting of the section entitled Fresno, 2014 and which three new characters are introduced?

10. How does the unnamed narrator answer her own question about why people confide in her?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Analyze the interplay between the final passages in Topics of Conversation and one of the novel's main messages. How does Popkey make connections between these elements and how does their juxtaposition help them get across one main message of the novel?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss Popkey's purpose for juxtaposing at least two different locations in a particular way within the text of Topics of Conversation.

Essay Topic 3

Discuss Popkey’s messages concerning the nature of security. Does the text indicate that it is dangerous or crucial? Choose one adjective and prove its validity using concrete details from the text.

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