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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. Where does Marie receive a postcard from Evie saying she is "halfway there!" (2)?

2. What did one of the patrons who had been staying in Room 144 do outside the motel earlier?

3. Which of Marie's former coworkers married an American man and eventually moved to Oregon?

4. What is the main character's religion in "Clean, Cleaner, Cleanest"?

5. What is one thing Marie is no longer bothered by seeing after many years of working in the same industry?

Short Essay Questions

1. What "self-defense behavior" (1) does Marie enact before entering a room and why?

2. What are some of the things Marie has grown accustomed to seeing and having to clean in her line of work?

3. Who is the main character of "Clean, Cleaner, Cleanest"? Where is her occupation? How long has she been there?

4. Why did Evie and Marie lose touch? What was the last correspondence the two had?

5. Why did Marie run from a room laughing after seeing a guest when she though the room was vacant? How did Evie react when Marie told her?

6. What is meant by "the illusion of clean" (3) in regards to Marie's work?

7. What state is Room 213, the first room Marie cleans in the story? What is in it that she dislikes?

8. Who is Olga? Why did she leave the motel?

9. Who is Christine? How does Marie feel about her life when they run into each other at a mall?

10. What are some things that Marie's coworkers had done to her during her time working at the motel?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Write a detailed analysis of tone in Alexie's "Clean, Cleaner, Cleanest." Include whether the tone changes or remains the same. If it changes, include details on when, why and whether this change is effective.

Essay Topic 2

Write an essay examining Evie's postcard as a symbol in "Clean, Cleaner, Cleanest." In what scenes does the postcard appear? What is the context? How does the postcard develop the narrative?

Essay Topic 3

Write an essay analyzing Alexie's decision to tell the story using third person point-of-view from Marie's perspective. How does this impact the reader's understanding of the story's events? Is this effective? Why or why not?

(see the answer keys)

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