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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. Place ______ serves as the town square in the center of Avignon.

2. Who is drawn to these dry areas?

3. The market was originally opened in ___________ but the current hall had been operational only since 1973.

4. During the first ______ months of 1989, the rainfall in the Provence is well below normal.

5. There is often comment about dogs resembling who?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is the epitome of the Luberon? How is this being destroyed by the increase in visitors and new residents?

2. How is the real estate market affected in Luberon? How is this both good and bad?

3. How does the drought and fire risk affect Mayle? How does this chapter end? Why does it end this way?

4. What does Mayle think of this market? How do you know this?

5. What does Massot find in the area? What is his next suggestion? Is this a good suggestion? Why or why not?

6. How is Mrs. Mayle's weakness for dogs taken advantage of here? How does the author seem to feel about her weakness? How do you know this?

7. Why is Mayle in Avignon? Why is this important enough to include in the book?

8. What is pastis? Why is there a chapter about it?

9. Why does Mayle decide to not install a security system? Is this a good reason? Why or why not?

10. What is Mayle's fear regarding Massot? Is this a rational fear? Why or why not?

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 author is opinionated.

Part 1) Describe the author's opinions that are given throughout this book. How does he come to have these opinions? Why is he so opinionated? Is this good or bad? Why?

Part 2) Do you agree with his opinions? Why or why not? Do his opinions change throughout the story? Why or why not? How do his opinions affect your opinions? Do they have any influence over you? If so, how? if not, why not?

Part 3) About what are you opinionated? Why? What does this reveal about you? Overall, do you believe you are an opinionated person? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 3

Peter's wife has an interest in dogs.

Part 1) How is this interest revealed? How does this interest affect and influence events in the story? What is the purpose of including these details? What do these details reveal about the author, his wife, and others in the story?

Part 2) In what is Peter interested? How do you know this? How do his interests compare to those of his wife? How do these interests affect his behavior throughout the book?

Part 3) What are your own interests? How do they compare to those of the Mayles? How can you use your own interests to relate to the interests of the Mayles and events in this book?

(see the answer keys)

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