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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. In "While It Lasts," what single word is Bonnie's "first lie to [George]" (87)?

2. In "Boston Common at Twilight," what is Ned embarrassed about when he remembers coming to Boston Common with his mother seven years before?

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

4. In "While It Lasts," George is said to be "an expert at being flippant" (82). What does this mean George is good at?

5. In "Why I Don't Write," what is a logical antecedent for "one" in the sentence "He got another one, prettier, younger" (72)?

Short Essay Questions

1. In "Why I Don't Write," what is the rhetorical purpose of the images of people looking at their phones?

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

3. In "While It Lasts," how does the knapsack embody George's personality?

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

5. 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)?

6. In "Café Mort," why would some of the waitresses be "proud" of their jobs (89)?

7. 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?

8. In the second paragraph of "Why I Don't Write," what is the implication of the list following the phrase "then it all stops" (65)?

9. At the end of "While It Lasts," what does Bonnie realize about her relationship?

10. In "Boston Common at Twilight," why does Ned end up taking an earlier train than usual, and how does this matter to the story's plot?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Write an essay that makes and defends a claim about how the techniques of stream-of-consciousness and the catalog support the theme of "Why I Don't Write." Use specific textual evidence to support your ideas.

Essay Topic 2

Write an essay in which you consider the symbolic significance of the title "Occupied." Discuss both the characteristics of this movement as revealed in the story and the relationship of that movement to Ivy's life and psychology. Use evidence from the text to support your claims.

Essay Topic 3

Write an essay in which you make and defend a claim about the significance of the setting in "Polepole." Use textual evidence to support your ideas; if you use outside sources, be sure to cite them in MLA format.

(see the answer keys)

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