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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. Mayle is in Avignon to shop at the fresh food market, Les Halles, located there. He has arrived at __________, before the market is open, in order to get a place to park.

2. The Mayles skip the morning trials, which eliminates what?

3. During the period when Robert was in law enforcement, he ate breakfast where each morning?

4. _____________ bars are located inside Les Halles, one of which called Chez Kiki, which serves champagne long before most people in town are awake.

5. The two men agree to share any profits, with a percent share for Mayle.

Short Essay Questions

1. What is Provence eventually declared? To what does this lead? Will this help the region? Why or why not?

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

3. How does the author describe Place Pie? What does this reinforce about him?

4. What is one of the possible consequences of drought in the region? How does this lead to more problems?

5. What does Mayle notice about Robert? What does this foreshadow?

6. What fashion icon promotes this region of France? Why?

7. How does the chapter end? What does this reveal about those involved in dog shows?

8. 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?

9. What is another consequence of the drought. How might this affect the revenue of the region?

10. What does Massot do regarding the hunt for gold? Why does he do this?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

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?

Essay Topic 2

The author finds old coins on his property.

Part 1) Describe the finding of these coins. Why does he involve his neighbors in this? What does this reveal about his relationship with them?

Part 2) What does this treasure-hunting adventure reveal and/or reinforce about the author and others? How does this story compare to others in this book? What similarities exist? How is this book, as a whole, a treasure hunt?

Part 3) What does all this hunting reveal about the author and about Provence? How can you relate to this specific treasure hunt and other stories involving finding something or gaining information about something?

Essay Topic 3

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?

(see the answer keys)

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