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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. What kind of story does the author use as an example of how a story can suggest characters?
(a) Murder.
(b) Space adventure.
(c) Unwilling confinement.
(d) Natural disaster.

2. What type of imperfections can be appealing to readers?
(a) Temporary.
(b) Unknown.
(c) Uncontrollable.
(d) Endearing.

3. On a basic level, which one of the following defines character in a narrative?
(a) Relationships with milieu and idea.
(b) Relationships with idea, but not milieu.
(c) Relationships with milieu, but not idea.
(d) Relationships with all forms except for milieu and idea.

4. Which one of the following is not an example the author uses as a way to add emotional intensity to a character?
(a) Symbols.
(b) Signs.
(c) Mistakes.
(d) Omens.

5. Besides emotional, what type of attention from the reader is the goal of Chapter 7?
(a) Subconscious.
(b) Intellectual.
(c) Inadvertent.
(d) Analytical.

Short Answer Questions

1. What does the author hope to give writers who read the book?

2. What should the writer's own experiences have in order to be used as fictional inspiration?

3. What do the most engaging characters reveal about themselves?

4. What are three good example of character definition in fiction?

5. Which one of the following is not a powerful resource for finding characters listed by the author?

Short Essay Questions

1. What are some places that a writer can look to find the inspiration for characters?

2. How does a writer create a strong initial impression for a character?

3. What are the main functions of major and minor characters, and how can a writer achieve them?

4. What kind of act is writing and how does it compare to other mediums?

5. What is the significance of a character's last name and why is that an important decision for a writer to make?

6. What is the role of a major character?

7. As explained in the Introduction, on what are the author's suggestions based?

8. How and why should a writer vary the names used in their stories?

9. What is the intent of the author in "Characters and Viewpoint"?

10. What does the author mean when he writes about "raising the emotional stakes"?

(see the answer keys)

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