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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. Where does Stevie currently live?

2. Who in Renton's family does Spud see at the pub in Na Na and Other Nazis?

3. How does Renton respond to news of Dawn's death in It Goes Without Saying?

4. What does Begbie think about Renton's health in Inner Shitty?

5. How does the group in Grieving and Mourning in Port Sunshine accumulate its communal pot?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe the activities of the gang in Grieving and Mourning in Port Sunshine.

2. Why are the mates made anxious by Begbie's plans for this chapter?

3. How does Begbie respond to the groups when they don't want to rob a tourist?

4. What does Renton discover the morning after having sex with Dianne?

5. How does Tommy fall into the heroin lifestyle in Cock Problems?

6. How do the junkies react to the tragedy that occurs in It Goes Without Saying?

7. Why does Stevie have a wonderful New Years despite getting punched?

8. What do all of the Junk Dilemmas have in common?

9. Describe Renton and Spuds' tiff and reconciliation in this chapter.

10. How do Renton and Sick Boy pick up girls in In Overdrive?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Write an essay on the subject of nonparticipation in modern life. To what extent are all of the characters in Trainspotting choosing not to participate in life? What are they distinctly trying to avoid? What pain and disappointment are they wary of? How have the major characters in the novel coped to avoid maintaining ties with each other and family and to avoid having jobs?

Essay Topic 2

Write an essay about women in Trainspotting. Choose three women and discuss their place in the coterie of junkies and loser who comprise the center of the novel. How do they become attached to the group? Are they repelled by the drug-use or part of it? What do they lose within the group and what do they gain? Are any of them particularly well-defined as individuals?

Essay Topic 3

Undoubtedly, the two most unappealing characters of Trainspotting are Begbie and Sick Boy> Write an essay about these characters. Why are they so despicable? What goal do they have and what tactics do they use to try to achieve them? How do these two characters represent dual sides of sin, complementing each other in their ill deals and transgressions?

(see the answer keys)

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