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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. Kinsey is trying to find out more about Libby Glass when she goes to L.A. She looks up Lyle Abernathy but finds no listing for him. What was Lyle to Libby?

2. At the time she is hired by Nikki, what does Kinsey know about Laurence Fife?

3. When Kinsey asks Charlotte Mercer about Sharon Napier, what does Charlotte tell her?

4. When Kinsey first visits him, what is the police detective's assessment of the Libby Glass case?

5. Kinsey asks Nikki to pay her $1000 up front for her investigative work. How much does Nikki write a check for?

Short Essay Questions

1. After her discussion with Charlotte Mercer, Kinsey decides she must find Sharon Napier. How does she do this?

2. What is Kinsey Millhone's occupation, and what do we know about her lifestyle?

3. How does Kinsey finally get in touch with Sharon Napier in Las Vegas, and what happens when she meets with her?

4. What other case has Kinsey started working on when she is approached by Nikki?

5. What happens when Lyle comes over to lunch at the Glasses'?

6. Kinsey tells Nikki she believes that Nikki is innocent. She agrees to take the case on certain conditions. What are they? What does Nikki do?

7. What does the reader find out about the city of Santa Teresa in Chapter 2?

8. Who is Con Dolan, and why does Kinsey go to visit him?

9. When Kinsey meets with Gwen for the second time, this time at a restaurant, what does Gwen tell Kinsey about her relationship with Laurence?

10. Before she agrees to work for Nikki, Kinsey questions her about her marriage to Laurence. What does Nikki tell her? How does Kinsey respond to her?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

State the theme of A is for Alibi. How does the theme of the story reflected in the conflict? Give four examples with an explanation for each one.

Essay Topic 2

Define the component of the literary element of plot known as exposition. What purpose does it serve in writing? Give four examples of Sue Grafton's use of exposition in "'A' Is for Alibi" that enhance the novel.

Essay Topic 3

Tragic Flaw. Discuss your overall impression of Kinsey as a person. Is she good, bad, or average? What are her particular qualities that shape her personality and character as a human being? What is Kinsey's tragic flaw, and what is its part in "'A' Is for Alibi"?

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