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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. Where are the characters sitting for the duration of the story?

2. Who reminds Mel that it is for the best that he has his current profession?

3. What happens immediately after the story of the old couple is over?

4. What reason does Terri give for her ex-boyfriend trying to kill her?

5. Whose glass is overturned on the table at the end of the story?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why do you think the characters enter a depressive state by the end of the story?

2. How is a sense of repressed hostility presented in the story?

3. What does the author seem to be saying about universal stages and phases of love?

4. What does Mel seem to require in order to feel comfortable about opening up to the other characters?

5. Would you describe Mel as brave to introduce the meaning of real love? Why or why not?

6. Describe the relationship between Laura and Nick.

7. What is the attitude of the other characters in the story as Mel becomes drunk?

8. Do you think Mel's example of real love is an appropriate one? Why or why not?

9. What does Mel think about the cause of the old man's depression?

10. Describe the interaction between Laura and Terri in the closing scene.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

This story revolves around love and its various meanings. Compare and contrast the ways each character views and portrays love. What are some possible explanations for their differing understandings of love?

Essay Topic 2

Characterization refers to the description the author gives of the character's appearance, actions, and thoughts. Discuss the characterization of at least one of the main characters in this story. What could Carver have included that would have enriched the reader's experience of that particular character?

Essay Topic 3

Authors often use setting, including the time of day, to communicate an important message about the story. The setting can have a significant impact on the tone and mood of a story.

Part 1) Discuss the clues Carver gives readers as to the time of day as the story unfolds.

Part 2) Why does Carver choose this particular time of day as a setting for a story about love?

Part 3) Pick a time of day (or night) different from the actual one in the story and discuss how the story would have been different had it been set during this time.

(see the answer keys)

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