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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. How many of Nick's father-in-law's churches burned down?

2. In Nick's mock plan for taking over the university, as what does he want to establish himself?

3. Who throws up at the end of Act 1?

4. What nationality does George say the man who painted their abstract painting is?

5. What does NIck have to drink?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe George and Martha's bit involving a kiss.

2. How does Martha convince George to leave her and Nick alone?

3. Describe the progress of Martha's drinking habits, according to George.

4. Describe the state Honey is in during this scene.

5. What is George's reasoning that his son hates Martha?

6. What does Nick realize about George and Martha's son?

7. Describe university politics as explained by George.

8. How does George try to cheer Martha up at the end of the play?

9. Describe Martha when she returns to the main room and how the guests react.

10. What is the reason George gives for talking at such length about Nick's life?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Nick and Honey are, in many ways, representations of George and Martha at a younger age. They are more hopeful and idealistic about the future. Write an essay about this topic:

Part 1) Nick and George discuss, at length, the possibility of Nick taking over the university. How does the cocky optimism of Nick represent the same ambitions that George had at his age?

Part 2) How does Honey's desire for a child and her history with conception mirror that of Martha?

Part 3) Which relationship do you believe knows more about each other?

Essay Topic 2

Several of the characters have nervous habits: Martha chews ice, Honey peels labels, etc. Write an essay on the significance of these nervous tick to the action of the play. What do they say about the character and about the themes of the work?

Essay Topic 3

Write about the past life of Martha and George. Do you believe that they actually have one, or that any part of their stories is true. Write a paragraph about three specific stories told by George and Martha, dissecting what you know to be false and why:

Part 1) The boy that killed his parents

Part 2) George and Martha's boxing match

Part 3) Martha's "fiddling" of their son

(see the answer keys)

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