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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 does the narrator initially feel about George in "More Stately Mansions?"

2. In the beginning of "Long Walk to Forever," how long has it been since Newt and Catharine have seen each other?

3. Who is required to take ethical birth control pills?

4. What did fishermen in Barnstable discover?

5. Who is the narrator in "Long Walk to Forever?"

Short Essay Questions

1. Why do the amphibians think their way of life is better in "Unready to Wear?"

2. In "The Manned Missiles," what happens to Stepan and Bud?

3. In "The Hyannis Port Story," what is Commodore Rumfoord devoted to?

4. In "The Lie," why is Eli so nervous about telling his father his entrance exam results?

5. Why does the salesman go home in "Where I Live?"

6. Why is Paul frightened in "Next Door?"

7. What does Harrison Bergeron do when he is on television?

8. In "New Dictionary," what changes does Vonnegut note in the new Random House edition?

9. What happens after the final performance in "Who Am I This Time?"

10. Why is the salesman looking for the library trustees?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

How does technology play a part in these short stories? Describe how people use, or are used by, technology. How does technology change characters and plot lines?

Essay Topic 2

Choose three stories that have children as characters and analyze the use of children in these stories. How does Vonnegut describe childhood? How do children differ from the adults in the stories? Which stories use children effectively to make a point and which do not?

Essay Topic 3

Compare the roles of the wealthy to the roles of the middle and lower classes in this collection of stories. How does Vonnegut describe each group of people? How do they interact? What does each group expect from life? What do these things tell readers about social class in the United States?

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