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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. What troubles Augustus about the picnic in Chapter 57?

2. In Chapter 53, what is Kormentz using to keep his fire going?

3. Who does Journeyman intend to visit in Chapter 40?

4. What does hearing Maddy's voice call out to him remind him of in Chapter 49?

5. What does Journeyman lie to Todbaum about in Chapter 45?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Maddy do when she finally visits the Blue Streak in Founder's Park?

2. What are Maddy's plans for Eke and Walt that become clear in Part IV?

3. What do the Cordon people ask for during their meeting with Tinderwick in Part III?

4. What do Jane and Lucius specialize in?

5. What does Journeyman think about Todbaum when he sees him for the first time again in Part IV?

6. In Part III, what does Journeyman propose to get to know the woman in the library better and what does he find out about her?

7. Why does it seem that Edwin Gorse plans to stay loyal to Todbaum to the end?

8. What seems to be the consensus of the Tinderwickians and the Granite Head community about the Cordon's request?

9. What does Todbaum tell Journeyman about his thoughts on dystopian and post-apocalyptic stories?

10. What does Todbaum ask Journeyman to give to Maddy for him in Part II?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

What questions or provocations do you think Lethem is trying to induce in the mind of the reader regarding the topic of technology, and of human dependency on technology in the modern era? Write an essay explaining your answers.

Essay Topic 2

Why are Tinderwick's residents so eager to listen to and gather around Todbaum and the Blue Streak when Todbaum first gets to town? Write an essay explaining your answers.

Essay Topic 3

What is your understanding of the event called The Arrest? What do you think are some reasons Lethem keeps the causes and consequences of The Arrest so generally vague, and how does this vagueness affect the reader's experience of this novel? Write an essay explaining your answers, citing specific references to the text to help support your answers.

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