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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. Why is the Mayles' friend suspicious about the dog's pedigree?

2. Mayle reminds his wife that he __________ picnics, based on his experiences in London.

3. What world is a murky one?

4. For what does Monsieur X use a pig?

5. How does Mayle's wife feel when Mayle suggests that they should search for the owner?

Short Essay Questions

1. What happens to Faustin? How does he feel about this?

2. Why might Peter's wife still plan a picnic, although he does not like them?

3. Describe Peter's birthday card. Why might he have been given this?

4. What does Peter say about this tasting experience? Why does he give these details?

5. Why is Peter's friend, Frank, worried and on edge? Should he feel this way?

6. How does Peter get involved in this world of truffles?

7. How is the toad story explained? Is it as odd and sensational as Peter had hoped? Why or why not?

8. What does Mayle say about the life of a writer?

9. Describe the truffle business.

10. What does Peter learn about toads at a cafe? What does Peter think of this? Why might he feel this way?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Provence suffers from a terrible drought.

Part 1) Describe this drought. How is the region affected by this drought? How is this drought tied to other stories within this book?

Part 2) In what other ways is Provence connected with nature? How important is nature, the environment, and weather to life in Provence? Explain.

Part 3) How does this drought affect the Mayles? How else is nature an important part of the Mayle's lives, now that they live in Provence? Is nature, the environment, and weather significantly important in your own life? If so, how and why? If not, why not?

Essay Topic 2

The Mayle's life is full of colorful people.

Part 1) Describe these colorful people. How are these colorful people tied to the unique experiences in the Mayles' lives? How do they support the author's opinion of Provence?

Part 2) How do these people, along with the author's unique experiences, enhance the book for the reader? How do these people affect your own opinion of Provence and France as a whole?

Part 3) What colorful and unique people exist in your own life? How do they affect your life? What would your life be like without them? Would it be better? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 3

Peter makes observations about summers in Luberon.

Part 1) Describe Peter's observations. How does he share these observations with the reader? How does this style of writing compare to the rest of the book? What are your thoughts on the way Peter presents this information?

Part 2) Why are the summers in Luberon important to the author? How are the summers compared to other seasons? How are the details of these summers tied to Provencal and French culture?

Part 3) What are summers like in your own community? How do they compare to summers in Luberon? What are the reasons for these similarities and differences? Would you prefer to be in Luberon or your own community for the summer? Why?

(see the answer keys)

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