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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 grade does the narrator give to a "passing fair" lady in the poem "Roundel"?

2. How long does Mimi have to prepare for her husband's leave?

3. For what are the Bains and Mrs. Whittaker waiting?

4. In the story "You Were Perfectly Fine," what time did the pale young man get up out of bed?

5. How does the woman in "The Waltz" respond to the young man who asks her to dance?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is the irony in the end of the short story "The Waltz"?

2. Compare and contrast the poems "The Trifler" and "Braggart."

3. Why does the young bride in the short story "Here We Are" worry about the fact that so many people get married every day?

4. In "The Standard of Living," why does Midge become so upset over Annabel's imaginary purchase of a silver fox coat, and what does her reaction suggest about her personality?

5. How might Mrs. Martindale solve Mrs. Wyman's problem and her own at the same time?

6. In "The Standard of Living," how are Midge and Annabel affected by the news of the actual price of the necklace in the shop window?

7. In the story "Dusk Before Fireworks," why does Kit try to pretend that she is not bothered by the attention that other women pay to Hobie?

8. Why is the girl in "The Sexes" rude to the young man?

9. Describe the role of Mrs. Whittaker in the story "The Wonderful Old Gentleman."

10. How are the poems "Somebody's Song," "Unfortunate Coincidence," and "Comment" similar?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Many of Dorothy Parker's characters are careless of others and sometimes even of themselves. Examine these careless characters and the effects that their behavior has on others and themselves. What observation does Parker seem to make through these characters? Support your points with specific examples and quotations from the text.

Essay Topic 2

Describe Dorothy Parker's poetic style. How does she use rhyme, rhythm, and sound? How does she use suspense and irony? How would you describe the tone and mood of her poetry? What are some common themes that she deals with? Be sure to use specific examples, especially quotations, to support your description.

Essay Topic 3

Some of Dorothy Parker's short stories follow a traditional story format of narrative and dialogue, while others rely simply on one-sided dialogue. Examine these two different approaches to storytelling and evaluate the effectiveness of each. What does Parker achieve by only giving one side of the conversation in some stories? Why might some stories require more complete description? How might the stories be different if she chose a different approach? Be sure to provide specific examples and quotations when appropriate.

(see the answer keys)

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