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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 does Rosie do when she sees the exit to the menagerie tent from the big top?

2. Who takes Jacob to their tent?

3. What does August want Jacob to tell him?

4. What surprise does Marlena arrange for August?

5. What does Marlena injure jumping out of Rosie's way?

Short Essay Questions

1. What happens when Jacob goes into Chicago with August and Marlena?

2. What does Uncle Al use to increase ticket sales?

3. What is rumored to be wrong with the elephant?

4. What surprise does Marlena arrange for August after Rosie's first successful show?

5. Why did Marlena marry August?

6. What does elderly Jacob learn about Rosemary that upsets him?

7. What happens when Jacob has too much to drink?

8. What happens after Jacob and Marlena escape the club?

9. What does Uncle Al want young Jacob to do in the aftermath of Marlena's choice to leave August?

10. How does August react to Marlena's surprise?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

What causes the stampede at the end of the novel? Is the stampede begun intentionally? How does Uncle Al die? Did this happen because of the stampede? Why is no one ever punished for Uncle Al's death? How are the stampede and the deaths of Uncle Al and August an example of circus life? Are these good examples? Would these deaths have occurred in another job or situation? Explain your answer.

Essay Topic 2

What is jake? Why does Camel drink jake rather than good alcohol? How does the setting of the novel affect Camel's decision to drink jake? What is the ultimate result of Camel's decision to drink jake? Is this ailment Camel's fault as the doctor appears to believe? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss Uncle Al. Why does Uncle Al want an elephant? How does an elephant elevate the status of the circus? Why does Uncle Al refuse to pay his workers? Why do the workers not leave? Why does Uncle Al want Marlena and August to stay together? Why does Uncle Al force Jacob to promise to bring Marlena and August back together? What does Uncle Al threaten to do if Jacob does not help bring Marlena and August back together?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 795 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample