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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. Marley got the movie audition because a film crew had just been to film the Grogan family as a typical Florida family. What was the purpose of this film?

2. What did John create for Marley out by the spruce tree on the edge of their property?

3. What did John do two months after first going to Emmaus?

4. What did the vet tell John about Marley's condition?

5. In Chapter 27, Marley went to stay at the vet's for the Christmas week. Where did the family go?

Short Essay Questions

1. What decision did the Grogans make soon after moving to Boca Raton? How did their friends react?

2. What happened when Jenny was allowed to get up after being in bed for twelve weeks during her pregnancy with Conor?

3. What incident showed that Marley did not really fit in in Boca Raton?

4. What was life like for the Grogans after Conor's birth?

5. The Grogans went to Disney World just before Christmas, 2003. What happened to Marley just after they came back? What do John and Jenny decide to do about Marley?

6. How did Marley behave on dog beach and what was the result?

7. Why did John decide to visit Shanksville, Pennsylvania in 2003?

8. Due to Marley's continuing bad behavior, John decided to read a book on dog training called No Bad Dogs. Who wrote the book and what did the author say about badly behaved dogs?

9. What happened not long after John's fortieth birthday that convinced him Marley's fear of thunderstorms was justified?

10. John decided to leave Organic Gardening after realizing that life is too short not to do what one wants to do. What did he decide to do instead and how did it change his lifestyle?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

In memoir writing, the author's personal presence must exist to make it authentic. Give five examples where John Grogan's personal presence is apparent and for two of those examples, explain why you think he chose to make it so.

Essay Topic 2

Define "the writer's purpose" and give four examples of different genres of writing and explain the writer's purpose for each one. Apply the definition to Marley & Me and discuss John Grogan's purpose in writing the memoir and if you think he has succeeded, with examples to back up your assertion.

Essay Topic 3

State the theme of Marley & Me. How is the theme of the story reflected in the conflict John Grogan experiences with Marley? Give four examples with an explanation for each one.

(see the answer keys)

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