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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 does the third soldier say he has in "Today Is Friday"?

2. Where did the main character read that the English cricketers were sharpening their wickets in "Banal Story"?

3. How long had the two men been skiing at Silvretta in "An Alpine Idyll"?

4. To what did the soldiers nail Jesus Christ in the story "Today Is Friday"?

5. Who is the president referenced in “The Forum,” the publication that the narrator of "Banal Story" is reading?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does the woman’s daughter in "A Canary For One" react when she is taken away from her foreign lover?

2. Why do you think the author does not reveal that the narrator of "A Canary For One" is the American man, until the end of the story?

3. How would you describe the American woman traveling with a canary in "A Canary For One"?

4. What do Nick and the Garner boys see on their trip back from the Fourth of July festivities in "Ten Indians"?

5. Why does the third soldier in "Today is Friday" not want to drink with the others?

6. What does Mrs. Garner tell Nick, to make him feel better in "Ten Indians"?

7. Why is the title of "Today Is Friday" in present tense?

8. Why do you think the author wrote “Today Is Friday” in a play version instead of a narrative, like the other stories?

9. Overall, what is the author’s perspective on women and romantic relationships?

10. In "Now I Lay Me," when thinking about fishing and trout streams, and praying for all the people has known do not work to help him get to sleep, what does he resort to?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Several of the short stories are told from the perspective of a man named Nick, who is thought to represent Hemingway himself. Write an essay analyzing the author’s choice to tell certain stories from Nick’s point of view. How does viewing the events from Nick’s point of view affect the narrative tone?

Essay Topic 2

Alcohol plays a vital role in many of the short stories. Itis often used as a coping device, when everything else feels futile. Write an essay explaining how certain characters use alcohol to cope with difficult life circumstances. Include a few healthier alternatives in the essay.

Essay Topic 3

Write an essay describing the author’s narrative style. Select three words to describe his writing style and explain how his minimalistic approach to dialogue and diction impacts his audience.

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