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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 is Deirdre's reaction to Augusten when she comes to pick him up?

2. What is Augusten's mother always immersed in?

3. Through what does Dr. Finch believe that he is communicating with God?

4. When Augusten visits the band that Troy works for, what is the band doing when he spies on them?

5. How old is Neil at the time of his sexual encounter with Augusten?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Augusten describe his parents at the opening of the novel?

2. Why has Natalie moved back home with her parents?

3. What is "Bible-dipping'?

4. Why is there a giant hole in the Finch's kitchen ceiling?

5. How does Dr. Finch treat Augusten and his sexuality?

6. Who is Joranne, and what is her condition when Augusten meets her?

7. What happens in the scene in which Augusten's mother is dressing for the poetry reading?

8. What does Augusten do while he is skipping school, and what is Dr. Finch's reaction?

9. What happens when Augusten goes to visit Neil Bookman, under the pretense of looking at his paintings?

10. What happens when Poo Bear walks in on the kids playing with the electroshock machine?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Throughout most of Augusten's life, Dierdre is in tumultuous and unhealthy relationships.

Part 1.) Give examples of three relationships that Deirdre was in during Augusten's childhood and explain why they were unhealthy.

Part 2.) Explain the way that each of these relationships had a larger effect on Augusten's life and perception of love.

Essay Topic 2

All through his life, Augusten wanted to be famous.

Part 1.) Give three examples in which Augusten showed his desire for celebrity.

Part 2.) Now that Augusten actually is famous, explain how Augusten treats his family.

Part 3.) Hypothesize on whether or not fame and celebrity is what Augusten was hoping for when he was a child.

Essay Topic 3

At the conclusion of the memoir, many readers will side with Augusten in his belief that the Finch household was a terrible place to grow up, but they were the only stability that he had as a child. Give three examples of times when the Finches proved that they had Augusten's best interests at heart, and explain why the Finches may have been portrayed in a bad light throughout the memoir.

(see the answer keys)

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