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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. In addition to taken items from homes, what did the suburban intruders do in the homes?

2. Who does the little boy pretend to be at the end of the story?

3. Why did the man and the woman not hire any of the people from the city who came seeking jobs?

4. What did the woman have the housemaid do to the people from the city who hung about looking for work?

5. Why did the wife suggest they build a higher wall around their house?

Short Essay Questions

1. Despite thinking it the ugliest, what option did the man and woman choose to enhance security after building a higher wall?

2. What did the son pretend to be the day after his mother read him a fairy tale from the book the Wise Old Witch gave him?

3. Rather than noting lovely roses and gardens, what did the man and woman begin to admire during their neighborhood walks with their son and dog?

4. Describe what would likely happen should someone attempt to climb the wall with the serrated metal coils installed?

5. What did the wife do for the people who hung around looking for work outside their home? What did the housemaid think of them?

6. Describe the various security options the man and woman noticed during their neighborhood walk.

7. Who helps remove the little boy at the end of the story? How do they do it?

8. What did the unemployed begin doing in the suburbs?

9. How did the son end up getting entangled in the new security fence at the end of the story?

10. Why did the neighborhood alarm systems tend to go unanswered?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Write an essay analyzing Gordimer's commentary on race and class in “Once Upon a Time.” How is race and class important to the story? How does it affect the narrative? Use textual evidence to explain your analysis.

Essay Topic 2

Write an essay analyzing the symbolic significance the man and the woman's economic status has on the story. Why is this important and how does it develop the themes of the story? What would be different if the family were poor? Use examples from the text to support your viewpoint.

Essay Topic 3

Write an essay about the author of “Once Upon a Time.” Who is she? What else has she written? How is “Once Upon a Time” similar or different from her other works?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 791 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample