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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. What does Hugh observe Yvonne and the consul doing on the bus?

2. How has the consul reacted to Yvonne's childhood dreams?

3. Who drinks mescal at the hotel?

4. How does the consul leave the hotel restaurant?

5. What insult does Laruelle unintentionally inflict upon Hugh?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does the consul want the sun to stand still after the bus ride he takes with Yvonne and Hugh?

2. Why is Yvonne really in such a hurry to leave Laruelle's home?

3. What does Yvonne imagine has burned down as she sees the storm approaching?

4. How does the consul ultimately die?

5. Why dues Hugh jump into the arena to try to ride the bull?

6. How does the consul respond to the children who beg him for money after he leaves a cantina?

7. What does Yvonne experience as she falls/dying?

8. What do Laruelle and Hugh have in common from their childhoods?

9. Why does the consul fail to understand why Yvonne and Hugh get so upset during dinner?

10. What does the consul's desire for the sun not to set foreshadow?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Why does Lowry choose to have Yvonne and the consul appear to reconcile and mend their relationship at the bull fight? What message is he trying to convey about each character through this event?

Essay Topic 2

Compare and contrast the characters of Laruelle and the consul.

Essay Topic 3

Given what you know about Malcolm Lowry, write an argument about how "Under the Volcano" is semi-autobiographical. Make sure to use facts from Lowry's life as well as direct evidence from the text to support your position.

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