View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. Who is Hollis?

2. What does Colin decide to burn?

3. How old was Colin when he started reading on his own?

4. Where does Lindsey take Colin and Hassan on their first day of working?

5. What does Colin's father say he, his mother and Katherine all have in common?

Short Essay Questions

1. What approach do Hassan and Colin use on Hassan's father to gain permission for the trip?

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

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

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

5. What does Hassan do in order to be able to go back to the Hollis home earlier than they are supposed to?

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 does Hollis offer Hassan and Colin?

8. What do Hassan and Colin discuss concerning prodigies and geniuses?

9. How does Colin keep himself awake while driving and why is that ironic?

10. Where does Lindsey go after interviewing Starnes?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

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.

Essay Topic 2

Over the course of "An Abundance of Katherines", Colin grows as a person in both complexity and understanding. "An Abundance of Katherines" might be considered a slice of Colin's larger story of his "coming of age." It might be said that this story is a "bildungsroman" of Colin Singleton. Discuss the following:

1. Define Bildungsroman, or "Coming of Age," and give several examples from literature you have read.

2. Trace and analyze the character of Colin as he changes from having little knowledge of himself or the world to a wiser, young man. What are the significant events that change Colin?

3. After thoroughly analyzing Colin's growth throughout An Abundance of Katherines, do you think "An Abundance of Katherines" could be considered Colin's Coming of Age story? Why or why not?

4. Are there any other characters in "An Abundance of Katherines" who go through a Coming of Age experience? Who? Why do you think so?

Essay Topic 3

1. What is foreshadowing? How many incidences of foreshadowing are in "An Abundance of Katherines"? How does foreshadowing contribute to a book's suspense?

2. Discuss an example of foreshadowing in "An Abundance of Katherines" including why you believe it is foreshadowing. Include examples from the book and your own life to illustrate your answer.

3. How do you think most people react to uncertainty in their lives? Use examples from "An Abundance of Katherines" and your own live to support your opinion.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 938 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample