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This test consists of 15 multiple choice questions and 5 short answer questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. In "Why I Don't Write," what is the likely source of items like "Sponge. Lemon. Milk" (66)?
(a) A dream.
(b) A column of cleaning advice.
(c) An inventory.
(d) A grocery list.

2. In "Café Mort," how did Karen's little brother die?
(a) He fell out a window.
(b) He overdosed.
(c) He was hit by a school bus.
(d) He committed suicide.

3. In "While It Lasts," what single word is Bonnie's "first lie to [George]" (87)?
(a) "Nothing."
(b) "Yes."
(c) "Isabel."
(d) "Yesterday."

4. In "Why I Don't Write," what family member does the narrator have a conflict with?
(a) Her husband.
(b) Her daughter.
(c) Her mother.
(d) Her brother.

5. In "Why I Don't Write," which author does the narrator say stopped writing poetry at 21?
(a) Beckett.
(b) Rimbaud.
(c) Dylan.
(d) Dickenson.

6. In the context of "Café Mort," what does the word "mort" mean?
(a) Grief.
(b) The sound of a hunting horn.
(c) A shortened form of "Mortimer."
(d) Death.

7. In "Café Mort," what were the Russian dancer's dances about when she was alive?
(a) Anger.
(b) Hope.
(c) Despair.
(d) Love.

8. In "Boston Common at Twilight," why are Ned's parents splitting up?
(a) Ned's father has fallen in love with another woman.
(b) Ned's father wants to move the family to the West Coast for his business.
(c) Ned's father is under criminal investigation.
(d) Because of Ned's mother's drinking.

9. In "Why I Don't Write," what does the narrator have a dream about?
(a) Diamonds.
(b) Sledding.
(c) Baseball.
(d) Lobsters.

10. On page 107 of "Boston Common at Twilight," what causes Ned to sudden feel "that something uncertain was going to happen and he would be blamed for whatever it was"?
(a) When the woman leads him into the subway.
(b) When the woman shows Ned the knife.
(c) When the woman first speaks to him in the park.
(d) When the woman gestures for him to follow her out of the park.

11. In "While It Lasts," George is said to be "an expert at being flippant" (82). What does this mean George is good at?
(a) Shallow, disrespectful humor.
(b) Dark, bitter humor.
(c) Absurd, farcical humor.
(d) Deadpan, ironic humor.

12. On page 66 of "Why I Don't Write," what is ironic about the diagnosis of the computer problem "Your system must be overloaded"?
(a) The narrator's computer is brand new.
(b) The advice applies to the narrator's life, as well.
(c) The narrator does not have a computer.
(d) Unsolicited advice clearly bothers the narrator.

13. In "Boston Common at Twilight," what is the name of Ned's aunt?
(a) Elsie.
(b) Marcie.
(c) Sharon.
(d) Mary Ellen.

14. In "While It Lasts," what does George do for a living?
(a) He is a hacker.
(b) He designs computer security systems.
(c) He is a tech consultant.
(d) He owns a software firm.

15. In "Boston Common at Twilight," what does Ned remember most from the day of the assault?
(a) The sound of the subway train arriving.
(b) The smell of the woman's apartment.
(c) The trees in Boston Common.
(d) The face of the Bodega owner.

Short Answer Questions

1. In "Boston Common at Twilight," what is Ned's reason for going to Boston Common?

2. In "Café Mort," which waitress has been at the café the longest?

3. In "Boston Common at Twilight," what does Ned like about staying with his aunt?

4. In "While It Lasts," what does Isabel claim is "antisocial" (80)?

5. In "While It Lasts," why is Bonnie unable to hear the last thing that Mr. Buffy tries to tell her?

(see the answer keys)

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