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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 type of cancer is Ruth diagnosed with in this chapter?

2. What religion is Halina Wind?

3. What kind of instrument does Andrew play?

4. What part of New York is Ruth's mother's hospital?

5. What does James force his mother to do in this chapter?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Ruth react to Irene's death?

2. Describe Andrew and Ruth's relationship.

3. In what way do Ruth and Andrew become more involved in religion in Chapter 23?

4. Why do Ruth's parents refuse to get a divorce?

5. What does Aubrey Rubenstein tell James in Chapter 22?

6. How does Ruth's relationship with Andrew affect her family life?

7. Who is David Wind?

8. What does James later learn about his mother's driving skills?

9. Summarize the book.

10. How have Ruth's parents lives changed?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Why do the students think it is important for James to find out about his mother's past? How has his mother hiding her past affected him?

Essay Topic 2

What major events had a profound affect on McBride's life and how did they change him?

Essay Topic 3

Look at the structure of the book.

1) Discuss elements of the narrative structure: exposition, conflict, complication, climax, resolution and conclusion. Do all the elements make for a logical and linear story? How does the story's structure express the book's ideas?

2) Examine the way McBride uses other people in the story to express his ideas.

(see the answer keys)

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