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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. Cressida's relationship with Poppas had potential for _______________.

2. With which opera company does Cressida have employment for a while?

3. What does Cressida think might have been a better thing than to have married after the death of her first husband?

4. What does Carrie want to know about Cressida?

5. What did Cressida once worry about when she was broke?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe a little about the relationship between Cressida and her two sisters.

2. Give some examples that show how generous Cressida is with her time and money to those around her. Is generosity always a good thing?

3. Could Cressida be characterized as a musical genius? Explain your answer.

4. What might give the reader an indication of the depth of friendship between Carrie and Cressida?

5. Describe a little of what the narrator gives as Cressida's early life.

6. Do you believe that Cressida's family would have been happy just to have Cressida's love and good wishes rather than her money?

7. How does Carrie describe Cressida's older brother and what do you think is the tone of that description?

8. Of what does nights like the one Cressida and Carrie are enjoying at Central Park remind Cressida?

9. Give a brief synopsis of what the reader knows about Cressida's marriages by the end of part one.

10. How does Carrie learn of Cressida's upcoming performances in London?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Family relationships are a recurrent theme throughout this story. In Cressida's case, she seems to have a fairly parasitic relationship with her family members. Choose one of the following topics and write a well-developed essay using detailed examples from the book and from your own life experience:

1. How much obligation does a person have to their parents? Siblings? Other family members? Explain your answers using specific examples.

2. For a child who is raised in an abusive home (whether sexual, verbal, or physical or some combination thereof), it seems that child as an adult often responds to his/her family in one of two ways: 1. S/he continues to try to "please" the abuser and others who allowed the abuse or (2.) They reject the abuser and those associated with the abuser and have nothing further to do with them. Are either of these responses healthy? How do you think you would respond? Explains in as far as you are comfortable. What is a possible compromise to these two extremes?

3. Why do you believe Cressida allows her family and husbands to take such outrageous advantage of her? Would you do so in her situation?

4. How would you treat your family members were you very wealthy if they were of the ilk that Cressida's family is? Explain.

Essay Topic 2

The story opens with Cressida on an ocean voyage and ends with her death also while on an ocean voyage. Answer the following questions in a well-developed essay using detailed examples from the book and from your own life experience:

1. Why do you think Ms Cather chooses to frame or book end the story with ocean voyages?

2. Compare and contrast the two ocean voyages and possible symbolic meanings of each.

3. Do you think it appropriate that Cressida dies on the Titanic? Why or Why not?

Essay Topic 3

In Part 4, when Carrie writes about Cressida being lost on the Titanic, Carrie explains that one reason Cressida waited to sail on the Titanic instead of returning a week earlier with Poppas and Horace is for the exposure to the press she would receive. Carrie writes that Cressida "believed that all advertising was good." Choose one of the following topics and write a well-developed essay using detailed examples from the book and from your own life experience:

1. Compare and contrast how advertising is used today versus how it is used in the era of the Titanic's sinking.

2. Discuss the various goals of advertising and some means advertiser use to obtain those goals.

3. Should advertisers be regulated by the government? Why or why not? Use explicit examples to support your stance.

(see the answer keys)

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