View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What does Robert ask Catherine to do?

2. What does Claire concede to Hal at the end of their conversation?

3. How does Hal want to check the proof?

4. What is the time period in Act 2, Scene 1?

5. Why has Catherine come to the house?

Short Essay Questions

1. Where has Catherine come from to check on Robert?

2. How does Catherine get Hal to leave?

3. What is Robert examining in the proof?

4. When did Catherine write the proof?

5. Why is Claire worried about Catherine?

6. Why was Hal the first person to whom Catherine showed the proof?

7. Why or why not does Catherine want to attend the University of Chicago?

8. Why is Robert so excited about working?

9. Does Hal believe that Catherine wrote the proof? Why or why not?

10. How does Catherine meet Hal?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Compare and contract Catherine and Claire. Though they are sisters, they have very different personalities.

1.) How did Claire want Robert's illness handled? How did Catherine want it handled?

2.) What pressure does Claire feel in regards to her family? What pressure does Catherine feel?

3.) How and why does Claire's intervention in her life offend Catherine?

Essay Topic 2

Hal feels some sort of a connection to Catherine. When she is catatonic in bed, he insists to Claire that Catherine may talk to him.

1.) What events my have led Hal to feel more connected with Catherine?

2.) Could he feel guilty and somewhat responsible for her breakdown?

3.) Is Hal a victim of circumstance, or could he have handled the situation more graciously?

Essay Topic 3

Hal and Robert are each afraid of getting old and losing their edge. They think mathematics is a young man's game, and very quickly a mathematician is past his prime.

1.) Could this idea have anything to do with Robert's illness? He works so hard to match his former genius, but cannot---could this be a contributing factor?

2.) Hal jokes that he has resigned himself to a teaching position. Do you think there is more it? Is Hal disappointed in his own lack of genius?

3.) Describe the lengths mathematicians go to in order to retain their edge, as described by Hal. How competitive is this field?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 802 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample