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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 conflict does Paloma witness?

2. Who are Levin and Kitty?

3. Who is Yoko?

4. What does Renee think to herself about her interest in painting?

5. What is Renee thinking about when someone knocks on her door?

Short Essay Questions

1. What do Renee and Manuela discuss concerning Renee's upcoming dinner date?

2. With whom does Paloma have tea and how does she respond to the event?

3. What does Paul Nguyen tell Renee when he comes to her door and what is Renee's response?

4. What does Renee think of Kakuro's bathroom and what surprises her about it?

5. Why does Paloma prefer her aunt and uncle over her own parents?

6. What does Paloma feel and think when she hears her school choir singing?

7. What does Kakuro want when he comes to Renee's apartment, and what is her response?

8. What does Renee think about art in Chapters 10 and 11?

9. Briefly describe Renee's dinner with Kakuro.

10. What does Renee do when a package comes for Columbe?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

1. What is foreshadowing? How many incidences of foreshadowing are in "The Elegance of the Hedgehog"? How does foreshadowing contribute to a book's suspense?

2. Discuss an example of foreshadowing in "The Elegance of the Hedgehog" including why you believe it is foreshadowing. Include examples from the book and your own life to illustrate your answer.

3. How do you think most people react to uncertainty in their lives? Use examples from "The Elegance of the Hedgehog" and your own live to support your opinion.

Essay Topic 2

"The Elegance of the Hedgehog" belongs to the novel genre. Discuss the following:

1. Define the literary term "genre" and give several examples of three other genres in addition to the novel genre.

2. Discuss two reasons why it might be useful to label a text by genre and two reasons it might be disadvantageous to label a text by genre.

3. What do you think is the difference between a novel and a historical novel?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss one of the following:

1. Thoroughly analyze how the setting informs the plot in "The Elegance of the Hedgehog".

2. Trace and analyze one major theme of this book. How is the theme represented by symbolism? By the characters' behaviors? By the action?

3. Trace and analyze two secondary themes of "The Elegance of the Hedgehog". How are the themes represented by symbolism? By the characters' behaviors? By the action?

(see the answer keys)

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