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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 married to Nick?

2. What happens to the teenager after the accident?

3. What does Mel say he would have liked to have done as a profession?

4. What is the old couple's prognosis?

5. Who shakes the empty beverage container at Mel?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is the purpose of stating that each character is "from somewhere else"?

2. Describe the relationship between Laura and Nick.

3. Describe what Mel was doing when he was notified of the car accident.

4. Why is it ironic that Mel is a cardiologist by profession?

5. How many views of the situation does the author give the reader? Do you think this is helpful or not? Why?

6. Describe the interaction between Mel and Terri surrounding Mel's ex-wife.

7. How is Nick and Laura's relationship portrayed by the author?

8. What does Mel tell Laura he would do if anything happened to their spouses? Why?

9. What two purposes does alcohol seem to serve in the story?

10. How long have Nick and Laura been married in comparison to Terri and Mel?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

What is the function of alcohol in Carver's story? How does it act as a catalyst for the plot?

Essay Topic 2

Connotation and denotation help a reader understand the meaning of a particular word or concept. Define both connotation and denotation. Identify a word used by Carver in this story and define its denotation and possible connotations. In this specific story, how does the connotation of terms contribute to the reader's understanding of the work?

Essay Topic 3

The tragic hero is a character who, despite being capable of greatness, is doomed to fail as a result of circumstances and a tragic flaw. Identify one character in this story who could be described as a tragic hero and support your claim. Does this character fit the typical view of a tragic hero? Why or why not?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 775 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample