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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. The unnamed narrator's role-playing partner first takes on the role of a man in what position?

2. In what period of time was the unnamed narrator an adolescent?

3. When the unnamed narrator tells the group of women about the professor's control of her, she tells a story about what object?

4. Which upcoming event produced in the unnamed narrator feelings of satisfaction mixed with fear?

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

Short Essay Questions

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

2. What did the unnamed narrator do for a living during her marriage to John?

3. How does Popkey employ a metaphor to indicate the pain the unnamed narrator caused John with her infidelity?

4. How did the unnamed narrator always feel about the prospect of having a baby?

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

6. Describe the difference between the unnamed narrator's view of therapy in 2014 and her current view.

7. What method did the unnamed narrator eventually use to end her marriage and why?

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

9. What tactics did the unnamed narrator use to help herself summon enthusiasm about pursuing a pregnancy with John?

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

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss Popkey's messages about motherhood within the text Topics of Conversation.

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the instances of irony within the narrative of Topics of Conversation and analyze Popkey’s purpose for including each instance you discuss.

Essay Topic 3

How are the topics of romantic relationships, love, and sex treated within the novel Topics of Conversation and how does their treatment relate to the novel's depicted messages?

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