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This test consists of 5 multiple choice questions, 5 short answer questions, and 10 short essay questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

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

2. In "Boston Common at Twilight," where is Ned's family home?
(a) Concord.
(b) Charlestown.
(c) Marshport.
(d) Cambridge.

3. In "Why I Don't Write," what does the narrator say "used ot be more awful" (72)?
(a) Life.
(b) Despair.
(c) Hope.
(d) Death.

4. In "Boston Common at Twilight," what is the rhetorical purpose of mentioning the rip in Ned's parka?
(a) It reinforces how young he is.
(b) It demonstrates that he is careless.
(c) It introduces Ned's capacity for violence.
(d) It reveals the family's poverty.

5. In "While It Lasts," whose owns the apartment where the party is held?
(a) Richard's company.
(b) Isabel's stepmother.
(c) Mr. Buffy.
(d) Froy.

Short Answer Questions

1. In "Why I Don't Write," what city is the narrator invited to visit?

2. According to "Why I Don't Write," what is the problem with making donations?

3. In "Café Mort," what does the narrator guess about Maggie?

4. In "Café Mort," what attitude is more common among the late-night customers?

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

Short Essay Questions

1. In "Boston Common at Twilight," what clues does Minot offer that the woman in the park might be biologically male?

2. In "While It Lasts," what subject does Isabel keep making bitter jokes about, and why does she do this?

3. In "Café Mort," why does the narrator say that the stream of advice coming from the patrons is "either instructive or ironic, depending on your perspective" (93)?

4. In "Why I Don't Write," what is the page 69 phrase "The thumping far below the floor" an allusion to, and what is its thematic significance?

5. In "While It Lasts," what is Isabel's main complaint about Richard, and what does she think is the cause of the problem?

6. In "Café Mort," what evidence is there that the narrator is ready to leave her grief behind even before Anita speaks to her?

7. In "Boston Common at Twilight," what television show does Ned secretly watch? Why does he enjoy it?

8. In "Boston Common at Twilight," what is implied by the last section of the story, that takes place as Ned grows into adulthood?

9. In "Café Mort," what does her experience at the café teach the narrator about being "lucky" in life?

10. In "While It Lasts," why does Bonnie think that George is a particularly good match for her?

(see the answer keys)

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