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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 do Miles and his mother go on vacation when Miles is nine years old?

2. What did Miles do when he caught Janine in bed with Walt?

3. What do Mrs. Whiting's daughter and Miles share?

4. Who is Miles taking to the event?

5. Who is Zack Minty?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does David want Miles to expand his business opportunities?

2. Why does Janine call Miles The Human Rut?

3. What inappropriate behavior does Jimmy reveal that makes Miles like him even less?

4. Explain why the poison ivy is a metaphor in Part 1, Chapter 8.

5. What is the setting for the story?

6. What does Father Mark represent in the story?

7. Name the three events of Part 3, Chapter 15 which foreshadow coming events for the plot.

8. Describe how Zack Minty exhibits unsportsmanlike behavior and then manipulates the crowd at the football game.

9. Explain the economic dynamics of the town as the story begins.

10. How is Miles trying to improve the economy of Empire Falls?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Do a character sketch of Janine Roby including positive and negative characteristics. Why does Janine seem to vacillate between divorcing Miles or not.

Essay Topic 2

On the Martha's Vineyard trip, Miles becomes disenchanted with his mother's behavior with Charlie Mayne and he consequently loses his baseball to the ocean and leaves his ball glove at the hotel. What do these losses of his baseball equipment really represent?

Essay Topic 3

Russo liberally uses humor in the story to both entertain and convey character. Cite at least two examples which you find especially humorous.

(see the answer keys)

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