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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. How long before she wrote to L did the narrator first see his artwork?

2. What did M once see a musician who was staying in the second place to record bird songs doing?

3. Who does the narrator say she meant on a train at the start of the novel, which made the following years difficult?

4. In what way does Brett seem out of place when they meet at the harbor town?

5. Who was staying in the second place when L wrote announcing that he would finally go there?

Short Essay Questions

1. What did the narrator tell L about his artwork's impact on her life when she invited him to stay in the second place?

2. In what ways did L and Tony's early experiences with death manifest differently in each man?

3. What do readers learn of L's backstory in the fourth chapter?

4. Whose portrait did L tell M he wanted to paint? How did she feel that he did not wish to paint her? What did she say to him about this?

5. What issue did Brett have with the bed linen in the second place? What did she want M to do?

6. What does Tony say to M when she gets angry with him after L says he is not staying with them?

7. Describe L and M's first interaction the morning after he arrived at the second place. How did she feel about him? How did he make her feel?

8. Where did M and Tony pick up L? What did Justine and Kurt do while they were away?

9. What does the narrator say her first experience with L coincided with? What did she think L's visit would do in terms of her recovery?

10. What did the narrator do on her final night in Paris and with whom?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Write an essay analyzing Cusk's language style and word choice in Second Place. What are some words that stand out to you and why? What words are repeated? What words are most impactful? Explain your answers.

Essay Topic 2

Pick a character from the novel and discuss their goals and motives. Do they achieve their motive? Do they share similar goals and motives with other characters? Do their goals clash with other characters? How do the characters' goals and motives affect their interaction with each other?

Essay Topic 3

Write an essay exploring the central purpose of this story. What response do you think the author hoped to get from her readers? Do you think she was successful? Why or why not?

(see the answer keys)

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