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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 "Why I Don't Write," what does the narrator say "used ot be more awful" (72)?

2. In "While It Lasts," whose owns the apartment where the party is held?

3. In "Café Mort," what is true of all of the employees?

4. In "While It Lasts," what does Bonnie do for a living?

5. In "Boston Common at Twilight," what sport is Ned involved in?

Short Essay Questions

1. In "Café Mort," what does the narrator mean when, on page 89, she says "It's always an endless night"?

2. In "While It Lasts," what does Isabel want from Bonnie, and why?

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

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

5. What question begins "Why I Don't Write," and how is this question related to the rest of the story?

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

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

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

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Minot uses fragmentation in both "Listen" and "Why I Don't Write." Write an essay that makes and defends a claim about the significance of this technique in these two stories. You might choose to write about similarities, differences, or some combination of the two, as long as your essay clearly makes an argument about both pieces and how fragmentation supports meaning in both.

Essay Topic 2

Write an essay that analyzes the rhetorical purpose of "Boston Commons at Twilight's" juxtaposition of Ned's home life against the assault that takes place when he is fifteen. Once you have made an argument about the purpose of the juxtaposition, interrogate the implicit beliefs behind this rhetorical strategy. Is some connection between his home life and his choices being drawn? If so, what? Is Ned being blamed for the choices he makes on this day, in some way? In your opinion, is his behavior different from that of most teenagers? Support your ideas with textual evidence; if you use external sources, cite them in MLA format.

Essay Topic 3

Write an essay in which you make and defend a claim about the characterization of Daisy in "Polepole." Be sure to connect characterization to the story's theme. Offer textual evidence in support of your ideas.

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