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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 is Dag from originally?

2. Who does Dag believe carries a deep secret that can't be shared?

3. After quitting his office job, Dag says he makes new friends who yap endlessly about what?

4. What kind of car does Dag drive?

5. What is on the postcard Otis receives from an old friend?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Dag describe himself when he worked in advertising?

2. What are the rules for story time among Andy and his friends, and why do they need rules?

3. In Chapter 10, what does Andy recall was on his mind when he was on the phone trying to track down photos from Depeche Mode?

4. In Chapter 1, what example does Andy give of Dag's considerate nature?

5. In Dag's story in Chapter 12, what bothers Otis about the postcard he receives from a friend in New Mexico?

6. Describe Texlahoma.

7. What does Andy tell us about himself in Chapter 9?

8. What does Margaret tell Dag is the only reason people get up and go to work everyday?

9. Summarize the story Andy tells about a man named Edward in Chapter 9.

10. What is the most prized possession of Andy's boss in Japan?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the protagonist of Generation X, Andy Palmer. What are his defining character traits? What is he struggling with throughout the narrative? Describe his lifestyle and outlook on life. Is Andy truthful with himself and his friends? How does he progress throughout the novel?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the character Dag Bellinghausen. What are his defining character traits? What are his relationships with Andy and Claire like? Is Dag able to become a truth teller by the end of the novel?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the sun motif. What does sun and light represent in this novel? How do the three main characters view the sun? Do their views of the sun and light change as the novel progresses? If so, how?

(see the answer keys)

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