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This test consists of 5 multiple choice questions, 5 short answer questions, and 10 short essay questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. The author of Homage to Isaac Babel is listed as being from England and where?
(a) Argentina.
(b) Mexico.
(c) Zimbabwe.
(d) Canada.

2. What is the setting of On Hope?
(a) Argentina.
(b) Gibraltar.
(c) Spain.
(d) New Mexico.

3. From what country does the story Gregory come?
(a) Cyprus.
(b) Brazil.
(c) Hawaii.
(d) Indonesia.

4. Where is the university student in La Volpaia departing by train?
(a) Switzerland.
(b) Italy.
(c) France.
(d) England.

5. Who is the author of Love, Your Only Mother?
(a) Yasunari Kawabata.
(b) Mark Helprin.
(c) David Michael Kaplan.
(d) Josef Skvorecky.

Short Answer Questions

1. Who is the author of Iguana Hunting?

2. Who becomes engaged to Freddie in An Insolvable Problem of Genetics?

3. How does the author say the night had fallen in The Falling Girl?

4. How old is the student in The Boy?

5. When was the author of Weather in San Francisco born?

Short Essay Questions

1. Who is the central character in The Grass-Eaters? What is his objective?

2. What do the boy and his father go to do after getting his new cap in Blackberries? What does this lead to?

3. Describe the time span and theme in The Blue Jar?

4. What is the setting of Blue? What is troubling the citizens in the narrative?

5. What event has taken place in the beginning of Death of the Right Fielder? What actions do the characters take?

6. What is the central theme in At the River? How is this manifested in the central characters?

7. What is the central theme in Gregory? How does the author represent this theme through the executioner in the narrative?

8. Who are the characters in At the River? What are they catching for food in the story?

9. What happens to the narrator's friend in At the River? How does he discover this?

10. Describe the themes and political motif in One of These Days. What other story in the collection shares similar themes?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 928 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample