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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. Why did Ambrose dismiss Philip's nurse when he was a child?

2. How does the servant at the villa describe Ambrose during his illness?

3. What condition causes Ambrose to go abroad in the winters?

4. Who tells the servants and tenants about Ambrose's death?

5. Where is Philip when Rachel arrives at the house?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Philip find striking about the portrait he sees hanging in Aunt Phoebe's rooms before Rachel comes?

2. Why does Nick Kendall think it was wrong for Ambrose to have brought Philip up without women in his life?

3. What does Rachel do that impresses Philip while she and Philip are out riding the estate?

4. Why does Rachel say she felt strange when arriving at Philip's house?

5. Why was Philip raised by Ambrose?

6. Why does Philip feel ashamed of his feelings when Ambrose wrote to say he was engaged?

7. Why does Rainaldi think that Rachel will never return to Italy?

8. Why does Louise say that Philip must have the house cleaned up before Rachel visits?

9. What reason does Philip give Rachel for not hating her now that he has met her?

10. Why does Nick Kendall suggest that Ambrose may have been drunk when he reads a letter Philip received from him?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Write an essay examining Rainaldi as a character. How does the author use him to reveal information about Rachel and Philip? How do his visits to England affect the plot? What is the true relationship between Rachel and Rainaldi?

Essay Topic 2

Write an essay discussing good and evil in the novel. How does the author challenge the reader’s notion of what is good and evil? In the end, which of the characters is good and which is evil?

Essay Topic 3

Throughout the novel, Philip’s moods and attitudes toward people and places change based on what is going on in his life. Explain how the author conveys his feelings through descriptions of settings and events as well as through her word choices.

(see the answer keys)

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