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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. When does Chapter 4 take place?

2. What is the name of the hospital where Hazel worked as the first Black nurse?

3. How old was Joan the last time she was at the house they come to in Chapter 1?

4. How old is Derek in 1988?

5. In Chapter 5, what rank does Jax make?

Short Essay Questions

1. What wakes Joan in Chapter 6, and what does she see when she goes downstairs?

2. What does August do when she sees Jax choking Miriam in Chapter 9?

3. In Chapter 12, what is Miriam doing?

4. How does Joan describe the house her grandfather built?

5. In 1978, what does Hazel wear when she is gardening?

6. What does Miriam think it will be like to go back to school?

7. What did Miriam do before she left North Carolina in Chapter 2?

8. Why does Miriam stop at an Exxon filling station in Chapter 2, and does he get what she wants?

9. What car does August drive in Chapter 9, and why is it special?

10. What is August's shop like?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Myron North built the Memphis house. What does the Memphis house mean to Miram and Joan? Why do they feel differently about the house?

Essay Topic 2

Hazel and Myron meet at Stanley’s deli. What type of relationship do they have? How does Hazel cherish their relationship for the rest of her life?

Essay Topic 3

An allusion is a figure of speech that does not directly refer to a person, place, or thing. What are some allusions in Memphis: A Novel? Why might it be difficult to decipher an allusion just by the context of a passage in a book? How do the allusions Stringfellow uses help readers’ understanding of characters or concepts?

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