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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 is his card?

2. After returning home from the pharmacy with several mundane purchases--toothpaste and suntan lotion--Peter finds a brochure in his bag which discusses the problem of ___________________, which apparently is quite a prevalent condition among the French.

3. Why is the Mayles' friend suspicious about the dog's pedigree?

4. At lunch time, Michel tells Peter and six other visitors to follow him where?

5. Mayle keeps up with the correspondence as best he can but is truly ___________ when fans begin stopping by to get his autograph on their copies of his book.

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Peter say about this tasting experience? Why does he give these details?

2. How is the toad story explained? Is it as odd and sensational as Peter had hoped? Why or why not?

3. Describe Peter's birthday card. Why might he have been given this?

4. How do Mayle's feelings about fan mail change over time? Why?

5. Describe the truffle business.

6. What does Peter learn about toads at a cafe? What does Peter think of this? Why might he feel this way?

7. What happens to Peter because of the lunch he eats? How is this a good ending to his trip to the wine region?

8. How does Peter get involved in this world of truffles?

9. How does Peter feel about his toad findings? Why does he feel this way?

10. What does Monsieur X ask Peter to do next spring? What does this reveal about their relationship?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Peter's return to London is enlightening.

Part 1) Describe Peter's return to London. How is it enlightening? What does it reveal about Peter? What does it also reveal about London, Provence, and the people of these regions of the world?

Part 2) How does Peter continue to change after this visit to London? How are these changes revealed? Do Peter's English friends see these as positive changes? Why or why not? Do you see these as positive changes? Why or why not?

Part 3) Describe an experience in your own life that was enlightening. How was it enlightening? How did this experience affect you? Was this a permanent effect? Why or why not? How does your own experience compare to Peter's?

Essay Topic 2

A large focus is put on truffles.

Part 1) What are truffles? What does the author have to say about truffles? Why are truffles important to the author and this story?

Part 2) What is learned about French culture, as well as other European cultures, from the truffle stories in this book?

Part 3) How can you relate to these truffle stories? How do these make sense in your own life? To what can these be compare in the U.S.?

Essay Topic 3

The Mayles have many unique experiences while living in Provence.

Part 1) Describe four of these unique experiences. Compare these experiences. How is one experience tied to the next? What is the purpose of telling the reader about these experiences? How does each experience support the author's purpose for writing this book?

Part 2) How do these experiences affect the reader? Do these stories make the book more engaging? Why or why not? Are all of these stories necessary? Why or why not?

Part 3) Describe a unique experience in your own life. How did it affect you? Are you still affected by it? Why or why not? How does your own unique experience compare to those of the Mayles?

(see the answer keys)

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