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This test consists of 15 multiple choice questions and 5 short answer questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. Why does Mel become frustrated?
(a) He has trouble understanding the emotional aspects of the heart.
(b) His wife is constantly interrupting him.
(c) He has difficulty remembering things.
(d) He cannot open the wine bottle.

2. Which of the following characters are able to loosen up over the course of the story?
(a) Terri and Mel.
(b) All of them.
(c) Nick and Laura.
(d) Only Mel.

3. The alcohol in the story has a _________________ effect on the characters.
(a) Passionate.
(b) Animated.
(c) Enlightening.
(d) Depressing.

4. What literary tool is used in the story of the old couple and Mel and Terri's relationship?
(a) Parallelism.
(b) Imagery.
(c) Anthropomorphism.
(d) Alliteration.

5. Which of the following is the denotation of the word 'love'?
(a) Past memories associated with relationships.
(b) A tender affection for another person.
(c) An extreme dislike of another person.
(d) The images that come to mind and the feelings that are evoked.

6. Which of the following symbolizes the hopelessness the characters feel about finding real love?
(a) The discovery that the group's favorite restaurant is closed.
(b) The meal burning in the oven.
(c) The rainstorm.
(d) The glass spilling on the table.

7. Through which of the following methods does Carver communicate most of the significant aspects of his story?
(a) Dialogue.
(b) Hyperbole.
(c) Metamorphism.
(d) Figurative language.

8. What does Mel attempt to do to the topic of love?
(a) Make it humorous.
(b) Dissect it.
(c) Avoid it.
(d) Talk badly about it.

9. Which of the following are included in the plot of Carver's story?
(a) Four characters gather in someone's home.
(b) The story takes place in early morning.
(c) Nick thinks back to a previous relationship.
(d) The characters are much happier at the end of the story.

10. Which of the following terms refers to the literal definition of 'heart'?
(a) Denotation.
(b) Connotation.
(c) Symbolism.
(d) Imagery.

11. How many stages of love are there, according to the author?
(a) Only one.
(b) It is unclear.
(c) Ten.
(d) Two.

12. Which of the following describes the literary device Carver uses when Terri and Mel talk about Terri's past relationship in detail?
(a) Flashback.
(b) Dramatic irony.
(c) Imagery.
(d) Symbolism.

13. What is the narrator's understanding of the meaning of love by the end of the story?
(a) It is full of thrills and romance.
(b) It is only available to those married a long time.
(c) It is unclear.
(d) It is depressing.

14. Which of the following describes Terri's reaction to Mel's response to the story of the old couple?
(a) Caustic.
(b) Empathetic.
(c) Fearful.
(d) Enraged.

15. How does Mel's behavior influence the other characters?
(a) They feel safe and secure.
(b) They become overwhelmed.
(c) It encourages them to talk more.
(d) They become afraid and anxious.

Short Answer Questions

1. What is the tone of Mel's story about the old couple?

2. Where are the other characters when Mel begins to talk about love?

3. What aspects of the heart does Mel understand?

4. How does the author characterize Terri and Mel's relationship?

5. How does the tone change as the story progresses?

(see the answer keys)

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