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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. Which character opens the story on page 83 by saying "Oh, there is one, of course, but you'll never know it"?
(a) Ned Boyne.
(b) Alida Stair.
(c) Mary Boyne.
(d) Trimmle.

2. In the opening of the story, what is Mary waiting for?
(a) She is waiting for dinner to be announced.
(b) She is waiting for the mail to be brought in.
(c) She is waiting for Ned to arrive.
(d) She is waiting for the lamps to be brought in.

3. When they are all laughing about the idea of a ghost, what does it mean that Mary "noted a certain flatness of tone in Alida's answering hilarity" (83)?
(a) Alida is laughing along, but Mary suspects that for some reason Alida does not find the subject as funny as everyone else does.
(b) Mary has only just realized that Alida is using this discussion as an opportunity to make fun of Mary and Ned.
(c) Mary suspects that Alida feels embarrassed because she is lying about the ghost.
(d) Mary recognizes that Alida is probably jealous of their good fortune and is trying to hide it.

4. Why does Mary believe that people should not talk about seeing ghosts?
(a) It makes people wonder about your sanity.
(b) It frightens the ghosts away.
(c) It is bad manners.
(d) It is dangerous.

5. While she is thinking it over in the library, where does Mary finally decide the blame lies for Ned's distracted, anxious mood?
(a) With herself.
(b) With the house and its ghost.
(c) With Ned's business affairs.
(d) With Ned.

Short Answer Questions

1. What did Mary and Ned discover about their roof?

2. On page 84, the narrator links isolated environments to "acuities of emotion." What are "acuities of emotion"?

3. For how many years did Ned and Mary live in the American Midwest while Ned worked as an engineer?

4. When Ned begins to read the newspaper in the library in section "II," he tries to sound casual as he asks Mary a question. What is the question?

5. In section "V," who comes to visit Mary?

Short Essay Questions

1. In the beginning of section "IV," how much time has elapsed since Ned's disappearance, and what has been happening in that time?

2. What strange conclusion does Mary come to about the relationship of the ghost to the house, Lyng?

3. How does the narrator describe the life that the Boynes had in America?

4. After she finds out that he has gone out with the mysterious man and not yet returned, why is Mary immediately alarmed?

5. What does Alida Stair tell the Boynes about Lyng?

6. What do Mary and Ned plan to do with their time at Lyng?

7. In the narrative present at the beginning of the story, where is Mary and what is she doing?

8. On the day of his disappearance, what is so frustrating for Mary about her conversation with her staff about where Ned is?

9. What is Mary doing on the morning that Ned disappears?

10. What does Ned tell Mary about the Blue Star lawsuit?

(see the answer keys)

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