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. In "We Get Along", what does the narrator's father record in a notebook hidden in his desk drawer?

2. Why does Dawn begin listening to rock music, in "Music for Lovers"?

3. What reason did the narrator's parents give for neglecting him in "Parade"?

4. Where does Glen ask Drew to put the telephone in order to help him remember his dream in "Glen's Homophobia Newsletter"?

5. What does the narrator of "My Manuscript" aspire to become?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe Margery in "We Get Along".

2. Describe Chad's father's childhood in "My Manuscript".

3. Describe the instances of "homophobia" that Glen believes he experiences after speaking with Drew on the phone in "Glen's Homophobia Newsletter".

4. What does Glen dream about in "Glen's Homophobia Newsletter"? What does he tell Drew he dreamed about? Why?

5. Describe a typical first date for the "old" version of the narrator of "Parade".

6. In "We Get Along", what does the narrator think the initials W.S. stand for? Why?

7. In "We Get Along", what do the narrator and his mother do late at night? Why?

8. How does Chad conduct research for his book in "My Manuscript"?

9. In "Music for Lovers", why does the narrator often give his daughter stitches? What does he recommend when giving someone stitches?

10. In "Don's Story", why does Don say that many people are watching his speech "with rage and jealousy"?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The final four pieces in "Barrel Fever" are listed as "essays". In your essay,

1) describe the qualities that an essay typically has,

2) discuss how two of these pieces fit the genre of essay, and

3) discuss how two of these pieces present a unique take on the genre of essay.

Be sure to use evidence from the stories to support your ideas.

Essay Topic 2

Look at the ordering of the stories in the collection and write an essay:

1) describing the progression of stories in the collection, and

2) explaining why you think the author chose to order the stories in this way.

Be sure to use specific examples from the stories to support your ideas.

Essay Topic 3

Imagine if one of the stories in this collection was missing from it. Choose one of the stories and "remove" it from the collection. Write an essay:

1) explaining the role that the story plays in the collection,

2) describing how the novel would be different without the story, and

3) comment on the quality of the book without the story: Would it be better or worse? Why?

Be sure to use specific examples from the stories to support your ideas.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,048 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample