View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. Dana says that she likes Licia because Licia has ______________.

2. What is Dana's nationality?

3. When Dana has caught Licia in several lies, Dana asks Licia if she is ___________________.

4. With which house member does Licia share a resemblance?

5. Who is Jo's youngest daughter?

Short Essay Questions

1. What do the police learn about each of the housemates that makes the police suspicious of them?

2. What are the circumstances in which Jo meets Daniel?

3. Why is marrying Daniel quite opposite from the life she had been living in the group house?

4. What does Dana's murder signify for the housemates?

5. Why does Licia seem to fit in so well with the group members who seem to have no real plans?

6. What is the premise of WHILE I WAS GONE?

7. How do Dana's sisters act when they come to the house to pick up Dana's belongings?

8. Describe the night when Licia finds Dana's dead body in the house.

9. What choice does Eli make for his dog and for himself in Jo's office?

10. How well does Licia adapt to living in the group house?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Describe the role of the family in WHILE I WAS GONE. What does it mean for each of the main characters? How does the family evolve in its support of each other?

Essay Topic 2

WHILE I WAS GONE is a classic story of loss and renewal. What does that classification entail? Why does this book fit into this category? Explain.

Essay Topic 3

Explain the concept of loneliness as it exhibits in the story. Which of the characters are lonely? Are they all lonely in some way? Explain the loneliness and the methods and attempts to overcome it.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,059 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample