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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 Babette like to run?

2. Jack finds Wilder watching Heinrich do a science experiment with what objects?

3. Where has Bee been?

4. What was the name of the psychic the police used to help them find Mr. Treadwell?

5. What is Heinrich's middle name?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why do they bring Wilder to the doctor in Chapter 16?

2. Why does Babette ask if Bee and Steffie know each other?

3. Why did Jack name Heinrich Heinrich?

4. Why does Bee say that the people who crash landed went through a bad experience for nothing?

5. What is so shocking about Jack's trouble with German?

6. Jack opens up Chapter 20 by listing various people's deaths and talking about how they died. Name one of them, and describe why you think Jack is listing them.

7. Describe how Murray interacts with Jack and Babette at the supermarket.

8. What is Jack's position at the college?

9. Why does the chancellor suggest that Jack should change his persona, and what does he suggest?

10. Describe Jack's German teacher. What does he look like?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Decide whether or not you think this book is funny. If so, write a position paper that explains the humor and why you find it funny/why DeLillo hopes the reader finds it funny. If you do not think it is funny, write a position paper that articulates your opinion of the jokes/humor/irony at work here and why you think it was not effective. Be sure to offer specific examples from the text.

Essay Topic 2

Considering the first two Books of the novel, analyze the way DeLillo uses feelings of non-chalance and calm to characterize the Gladney family. Offer textual examples of how they behave during hectic, stressful, or chaotic situations and explain the fictional techniques (especially dialogue and setting) that help the author achieve this characterization.

Essay Topic 3

Foreshadowing is an important technique. Write an essay that explains how DeLillo foreshadows the Airborne Toxic Event with a series of prior events. Describe the events and be specific about his foreshadowing technique.

(see the answer keys)

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