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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 keeps Merton from athletic participation?

2. Where did Merton attend school in England while with his aunt?

3. What does Merton miss when he left France for England?

4. Where was Merton's father born?

5. After graduating from college, what does Merton do?

Short Essay Questions

1. What are some examples of Merton's impatience in Part 3, Chapter 1?

2. Why was Merton's participation with student publications so satisfying to him?

3. How does Merton feel about his younger brother?

4. What impact does World War II have on Merton in Part 2, Chapter 2?

5. How did Merton feel about moving to England?

6. After the death of his father, why does Merton consider himself to be a rebel in New York?

7. Who does Merton credit with providing his only real religious training in Chapter 2?

8. How does the reader know in Part 1, Chapter 2, that Merton was thinking about religion while he was at school in England?

9. What is Merton's reaction to having to withdraw his application to the monastery?

10. How does looking at frescoes in Rome impact Merton?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Merton's mother died during the early formative years of his life. Merton's father was diagnosed with a brain tumor in 1929 and died during Merton's adolescence. Using examples from the book, compare and contrast the impact on Merton's life of each of these deaths.

Essay Topic 2

Merton loves his grandfather, but is also embarrassed by his actions. Does Merton show any contradictory feelings about anything or anyone else in his life? What actions does he take in response to these feelings?

Essay Topic 3

Merton experienced times of unhappiness during his childhood. What experiences described in the book show that Merton was sometimes unhappy as a child? Discuss the impact of these childhood experiences on Merton's later life.

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