13.05 American Literature Semester Final Part 2

Willa Cather's decision to write "A Wagner Matinee" from Clark's point of view means that readers __________.

• are not likely to be interested in the story because Clark is the story's least interesting character

• know only what Clark tells them and have their opinions shaped by his

• have to choose whether to believe Clark's side of the story or Aunt Georgiana's side

• never learn how or why Aunt Georgiana left Boston for Nebraska as a young woman

The physical injuries that the narrator and other soldiers suffer in Ernest Hemingway's "In Another Country" are representative of __________.

• the time they have spent away from their home country and the longing they feel for their homes

• the courage and valor that they displayed on the battlefield before being hurt

• the psychological damage and loss caused by their experiences in the war

• the fear that they all have of catching pneumonia and dying like the major's wife

In "A Worn Path," Phoenix Jackson ultimately shows herself to be someone whose actions are all done out of _________.

• dedication and love

• confusion and anger

• selfishness and bitterness

• confidence and pride

In his Nobel Prize acceptance speech, William Faulkner insists that great writing must focus on "universal truths" and __________.

• the essential fear of death that all people carry inside themselves

• the distinct and temporary issues confronting the current generation

• the question of whether the writer is even necessary to society

• the problems of the human heart in conflict with itself

Which of the following best describes the sections of The House on Mango Street?

• a collection of deeply personal letters

• a group of journal entries

• a compilation of formal, rhymed poems

• a series of brief, descriptive vignettes

Why is Esperanza unhappy with her family's new home on Mango Street?

• The house is larger than all of the other homes, so Esperanza feels out of place in it.

• The house is small and in poor condition, so Esperanza is ashamed of it.

• Her family shares the home with Lucy and Rachel's family, so Esperanza does not feel comfortable there.

• Her family used to live in a far nicer home on Loomis Street, so she is sorry that they had to relocate.

Why does Esperanza like and identify with the four skinny trees that grow on Mango Street?

• The trees remind Esperanza of Sire, whom Esperanza loves and wants to be with when she grows up.

• The trees remind Esperanza of her father, who planted them when the family first moved to Mango Street.

• The trees remind Esperanza of her family's ancestral home in Mexico and her desire to return there.

• The trees remind Esperanza of herself because they grow and flourish despite harsh conditions.

At the end of the novella, Esperanza says that she will leave Mango Street one day in order to __________.

• forget about all of the pain and misery she witnessed while living there

• come back and speak for those who cannot speak for themselves

• make those women who doubted her talents feel foolish

• show the world that her neighborhood is as good as any

From the __________ photograph, I could see the location of my house, the local park, and the dance studio.

• coherent

• aerial

• devious

• grievous

Choose the word that best completes the sentence.

When my cousin Audrey fell off her bike, she had __________ all over her leg and needed a lot of bandages.

• palettes

• solvents

• lacerations

• nomads