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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 Karl imply that Mary is?

2. What does Rowley reply to Mary's repeated thanks?

3. Why doesn't Mary say anything as Karl is talking?

4. What does Mary impulsively offer?

5. What does Mary say about Karl when asked?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is said between Rowley and Mary about Edgar and Mary's possible marriage to him?

2. What does Rowley point out to Mary to reassure her?

3. How does the altercation between Karl and Mary resolve itself?

4. Why does Mary call Rowley?

5. What does Mary think about Rowley?

6. Describe the scene of Mary and Rowley getting rid of Karl's body.

7. Who wakes Mary and what does Mary tell the person?

8. How does Karl act when Mary pulls out the gun out of her purse?

9. What does the Princess say about the party from the previous evening?

10. What startles Mary soon after Karl kills himself?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

W. Somerset Maugham was quite a prolific writer and lead a somewhat unconventional life for the times. Discuss the following:

1. Research and write an informative essay about the life of W. Somerset Maugham.

2. In what ways do Maugham's beliefs seem to be reflected in Up at the Villa?

3. Do you think Maugham is more like Swift or Flint? Explain your answer with examples from your research and the text.

4. How much of an author's personality do you think is reflected in his/her writing? Can an author keep him/herself completely out of the text? Why or why not.

Essay Topic 2

Mary and Rowley take Karl's body and dump it in some weeds, though they really have done nothing criminally wrong. Discuss the following:

1. Do you think Mary and Rowley do the best thing considering the circumstances? What could they have done differently? Is it conceivable that Mary is correct in fearing being arrested?

2. Do you think Mary is directly responsible for Karl's death? Why or why not?

3. Do you think Mary is morally responsible for Karl's death? Why or why not?

4. What do you think Mary could have done to prevent Karl from killing himself?

5. What would you have done in Mary's place when Karl first expresses his desire to see Mary again?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the following:

1. What is a plot? What are the most important elements of a plot and their definition? Do all novels have a plot? Why or why not?

2. Write a brief synopsis of the plot of Up at the Villa, identifying where the various elements of the plot occur (Exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, resolution or denouement). Do you find it difficult to identify the plot? Why or why not? What about the various elements of the plot?

3. Identify the major sub-plots and their elements (they may not contain every element of a major plot). Do the sub-plots add to the main plot? Why or why not? Are the sub-plots interesting in and of themselves? Why or why not?

(see the answer keys)

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