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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 does Mayor Cacciari do to protect himself from accusations of bribery in the issue of the rebuilding of the Fenice?

2. What object does a Sicilian prince bring to Signor Seguso in order to authenticate it?

3. What sport is Casson passionate about?

4. Who does Rose say the McAlpines are "hiding out" in Venice from?

5. What kind of mentality does Peter say doesn't exist in Venice?

Short Essay Questions

1. Who is Peter Lauritzen and how has he established himself in Venice?

2. What does the narrator say about Venice at the beginning of Chapter 2?

3. What does the narrator say about Napoleon and what do these comments have to do with the current state of Venice?

4. What does Gino Seguso tell the narrator about Giampaolo's actions and intentions since Giampaolo left the company?

5. What does Giampaolo Seguso tell the narrator about the rift with his family?

6. Explain what Guerrino Lovato tells the narrator about the interior of the Fenice.

7. Explain Rose Lauritzen's problems with the "magazzino" as detailed in Chapter 3.

8. What does the narrator learn about Alistair McAlpine at the party?

9. What does Count Marcello tell the narrator during the prologue?

10. Describe the Plant Man.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Describe the controversy surrounding Mario Stefani's death and how this controversy relates to the book's overall theme of truth and deception.

Essay Topic 2

Using Daniel and Patricia Curtis as examples, illustrate the novel's theme of the need to hang on to the past, and explain how this theme comes up within other stories in the book as well.

Essay Topic 3

What graffiti message is Stefani supposed to have left throughout Venice shortly before his death, and how does this message relate to Venice as a whole?

(see the answer keys)

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