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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 had Nola's sister married her new husband?

2. Who interrupts Bruce and Nola during the activity in #104?

3. What is Bruce doing as Part 3, Chapter 6 begins?

4. What does Bruce note about the second house he visits on this night?

5. What does Bruce recall about himself as a youth?

Short Essay Questions

1. How did Bruce separate himself from his own family in favor of the Mulders?

2. What does Bruce recall about Nola's virginity the first time they were intimate?

3. Why does Bruce think more about his time with Nola than Chet when he returned for Chet's funeral?

4. How did Nola avoid having sex with Bruce in the cabin that weekend?

5. What was the only life Bruce had ever envisioned for his future?

6. What does the author reveal about the way Chet had died?

7. What could account for Bruce's high opinion of himself as a young man?

8. What conclusion does Bruce arrive at regarding Nola's need for a man?

9. What were the circumstances that prompted Bruce to go to law school?

10. What game did the couples play when Bruce and Nola accompanied Bailey and his girlfriend to a cabin one weekend?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Bruce spends some alone time throughout the novel to contemplate his life. What does he think about? What conclusions does he arrive at? Explain why he is in a contemplative mood at this point in time.

Essay Topic 2

The author begins the story in the present day and tells the story through a series of flashbacks. Why did he choose to tell his story this way? In what way is a flashback technique more interesting for a reader? In what ways is it more complicated?

Essay Topic 3

The author uses some important instances of foreshadowing in the story. Explain what foreshadowing is and cite at least two examples making sure to explain what makes each an example of foreshadowing.

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