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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. What is the main topic of conversation when the family does speak?

2. Where is the house of Neil Klugman's aunt and uncle where he lives?

3. What is the area like in Short Hills?

4. Why does the boy not want to check out the Gauguin book after Neil promises to help him?

5. How does Neil evaluate Mr. Patimkin's intelligence?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe Brenda's neighborhood in Short Hills.

2. Explain the social and economic difference between Brenda and Neil.

3. How does the reader know that Neil is restless and bored babysitting Julie?

4. Tell how the relationship has developed between Neil and the boy who comes to look at the Gauguin book.

5. What does the basement reveal about he Patimkin family?

6. Early in the story what gives Neil away as a consummate romantic?

7. What does Neil tell Brenda about his family?

8. How is Julie's character further defined in the play room that evening?

9. Discuss the competitive nature of Brenda.

10. What evidence is there that Brenda is driven by appearances?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Write a paper pointing out the similarities and differences between Mrs. Patimkin and Aunt Gladys. Specifically, show how their attitudes are similar though from a different point on the social scale.

Essay Topic 2

Write an essay that depicts Brenda as a drama queen who comes to the hotel in New York with a carefully worked out script for breaking off with Neil. The scene will contain props to make her story more believable such as the letters from her parents and the fake wedding band.

Essay Topic 3

Neil once says that living with Aunt Gladys and Uncle Max is worse than living with his parents. Write a few paragraphs explaining what he might have meant by that.

(see the answer keys)

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