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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. How often does the narrator figure he thinks of his lover about six weeks after their affair?

2. What did the narrator see as he walked way from the room for the last time?

3. What "comes after [the affair] and lasts longer" (30), according to the narrator?

4. What does the narrator say is all that is left of the relationship after the pictures and questions go away?

5. What does the narrator cite as the other "bad time" (28) he and his lover had?

Short Essay Questions

1. The narrator says sometimes he feels like a prince or a king. What contrasting emotion does he feel?

2. What was the second bad time the narrator says he and his lover had?

3. After adding up the time spent thinking of his lover after the affair has ended, how much does the narrator calculate he has spent?

4. How long after the affair does the narrator think his time thinking of her is reduced to about and hour or two a day?

5. In what way is the pain from the affair worse than the pleasure?

6. What types of things does the narrator say bring back to the memory of his lover just as he thinks he is over the pain?

7. The narrator says he would do it again. Why? Was the pleasure greater than the pain?

8. Describe the first bad time the speaker recalls having with his lover.

9. What did the narrator's lover give him before he left? Describe it.

10. How does the narrator say he was beginning to feel when he was getting ready to say goodbye?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Write an essay describing the imagery used in "Break it Down." Indicate examples of imagery in the text and identify possible meanings.

Essay Topic 2

Though there is no direct dialogue in "Break it Down," the narrator reflects on two conversations between himself and his lover. What were these conversions? What significance do they hold? Why might the author have chosen to include these?

Essay Topic 3

Write an essay exploring how the story would change if written from the lover's point of view. What information might be gained or lost? How might the story's themes change?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 680 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample