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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. Who is Portia's mother?

2. What does Otto say is the truth about Thanksgiving?

3. What did Otto and his siblings ask the doctors when Sharon had her first apparent psychological break?

4. Who seems most excited when Corinne and Wesley's sons and wife leave after stopping by briefly during Thanksgiving?

5. What word does Corinne use to describe Portia's mother?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why is Corinne concerned about Portia?

2. As Otto observes Sharon's sparse apartment, what does he realize about himself?

3. What reason does Sharon offer for not wanting to go to Corinne's for Thanksgiving?

4. What do Sharon and William discuss regarding time after William says he experienced deja vu?

5. What did Viola get Portia for her birthday? Why does Portia think it is not a great gift?

6. What does Otto wonder when William thought to bring Sharon flowers when they visited?

7. Why does Portia cry at Corinne's on Thanksgiving? How do the other family members, including Otto, respond to her concern?

8. What does Otto think as he watches William with his nephews at Thanksgiving?

9. What was the first real indication to Otto and his siblings that Sharon had a psychological disorder?

10. What does Corinne tell Otto about Martin at her house on Thanksgiving? How does Otto react?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Choose a character and discuss their role in creating conflict in the story.

Essay Topic 2

Examine how the fragility of mind plays a part in the plot of the "Some Other, Better Otto."

Essay Topic 3

Write an essay analyzing Eisenberg's decision to tell the story using third person point-of-view from Otto's perspective. How does this impact the reader's understanding of the story's events? Is this effective? Why or why not?

(see the answer keys)

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