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This quiz consists of 5 multiple choice and 5 short answer questions through Section 1: The Center of the Story.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. Who is "thinking of writing a letter to the President" (20)?
(a) The man who thinks he is dying.
(b) The landlady.
(c) The main character.
(d) The woman at the church.

2. Why was the woman reading the Bible during the period she writes about in her story?
(a) Because she wanted to know exactly what it said.
(b) Because she wanted to use Biblical allusions in her writing.
(c) Because it was the High Holy Days.
(d) Because she needed comfort during the hurricane.

3. The man tells the woman that he has committed "blasphemy" (20). What has he done?
(a) Contemplated suicide.
(b) Shown disrespect to God.
(c) Told a harmful lie about someone.
(d) Cursed God's name.

4. Why are rams' horns being blown all around the city?
(a) It is Yom Kippur.
(b) It is Hanukkah.
(c) It is Sukkot.
(d) It is Rosh Hashanah.

5. For the majority of the story, what tone does the narrator adopt?
(a) Objective.
(b) Melancholic.
(c) Dismissive.
(d) Amused.

Short Answer Questions

1. What does the hurricane do to the city in the woman's story?

2. What does the sick man want when he calls the main character?

3. What does the landlady say the mayor gave her?

4. What detail of the woman's train ride reinforces the motif of things that come close to happening but do not actually happen?

5. On her train ride, what does the woman realize she has not given much thought to?

(see the answer key)

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