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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. What genre of play is "You Can't Take It With You?"

2. What does Penny do when the doorbell rings?

3. Why are the family members interrupting Alice and Tony?

4. What does Alice initially refuse?

5. Why is Mr. Henderson at the house?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does the family respond to this crisis? How does this prolong the hilarity of this scene for the audience?

2. What is the outcome of Grandpa's tax evasion? What might be the response of audience members?

3. Why does Alice relent?

4. How might Alice feel after she and Tony part for the night?

5. How does the play open? What does the audience member and reader learn about the family from the set?

6. Is Tony able to change Alice's mind? To what does Alice agree? Why does she change her mind?

7. What does Alice declare to her father? Why does she say this?

8. How are the characters introduced? Why might the playwright use this technique to present the personalities and quirkiness of these characters to the audience or reader?

9. What unexpected event takes place? How does all the activity prior to this event add to the shock and humor of this event?

10. What does Donald bring? Why? What is strange about this?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Alice and Tony meet at work.

Part 1) What is Tony's job? What is Alice's job? How does this make them compatible?

Part 2) Ironically, how does Alice's career make her odd, compared to the rest of her family?

Part 3) What draws Tony to Alice's family and vice versa? What are they lacking in their own lives that makes them fond of each other's families?

Essay Topic 2

Tony and Alice are a couple.

Part 1) How serious is their relationship? How do you know this?

Part 2) What trials and tribulations do they encounter throughout the play, as a couple?

Part 3) Is their relationship likely to last? Why or why not?

Part 4) If you could see this couple in ten years, where would they be and why? Use the text to support your response.

Essay Topic 3

The Vanderhof/Sycamore family is very unique.

Part 1) How are they unique?

Part 2) Why do Alice and Tony love them? Why are they such an endearing family?

Part 3) Why might the playwrights have chosen such odd characters for this play? Use the text to support your response.

(see the answer keys)

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