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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 does Colin's pre-school tell his parents?

2. What does Colin do when he goes into his bathroom after talking to his father?

3. What does Colin tell his parents when he calls them?

4. What does Colin overhear Hassan and Lindsey discussing?

5. Who is working at the convenience store when Colin and Hassan drop off Lindsey there?

Short Essay Questions

1. What are Colin and Hassan supposed to do that day and what do they accomplish?

2. Who is waiting for Colin when he gets out of the shower and what do they tell Colin?

3. What does Colin remember about himself when he was 25 months old?

4. What does Colin overhear Hassan and Lindsey talking about and what do the three young people do that evening?

5. What does Colin decide to do while waiting for dinner?

6. Who is in the convenience store when Colin and Hassan return from the grave and what does the person say to Colin?

7. What was Colin's first date with Katherine IXI?

8. What do Lindsey and Colin discuss before bedtime?

9. What does Colin think about as he is lying on the ground waiting for the tour guide to return?

10. What is the notebook that Colin sketches in while waiting for the tour guide to return?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the following:

1. Who is/are the protagonists of the story and why? Use examples from the text and your own life to support your answer.

2. Who is/are the antagonists of the story and why? Use examples from the story and your own life to support your answer.

3. Which 3 secondary characters have the greatest impact on the plot? Use examples from "An Abundance of Katherines" and your own life to support your answer.

4. Are any of the characters dispensable and which ones? Why or why not? Use examples from "An Abundance of Katherines" and your own life to support your answer.

5. Do you think this is a character-driven plot or an action-driven plot? Explain.

Essay Topic 2

Ironically, Colin is a genius, but he is lacking in common sense. For example, he can read the story about the tortoise and the hare, but he does not see the underlying meaning of the story. In another twist of irony, Colin is a genius but he is not socially advanced, so when he starts school, the other kids do not like him, bully him and think he is strange.

1. Discuss reasons it might be ironic that Colin is so smart academically but has no common sense. Use examples from your own life and "An Abundance of Katherines" to support your answer.

2. Discuss ways and events in "An Abundance of Katherines" that demonstrate Colin has few social skills. Use examples from your own life and this story to support your answer.

3. Do you think must geniuses are socially inept? Why or why not? Use examples from your own life and "An Abundance of Katherines" to support your answer.

Essay Topic 3

Sometimes a book has more of a character-driven plot rather than action driven, and sometimes it is the other way. Some books seem to balance the two. Discuss the following:

1. What do you think it means to say that a plot is character driven? Action driven?

2. How do you think a plot differs if it is character driven versus action driven?

3. Which type of plot do you find more interesting? Why?

4. Do you think it is possible to have a plot where action and character development share equal time? Why or why not.

5. What type of plot do you think "An Abundance of Katherines" is? Explain your response.

(see the answer keys)

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