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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. ________________ remains Mary Alice's biggest nemesis.

2. The annual _______________ program at the school is coming.

3. The heart of the program is what?

4. Why does the chorus practice sound awful?

5. The Christmas program is getting closer, and while Carleen Lovejoy has a magnificent costume, Mary Alice has only what?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is learned about Mrs. Weidenbach? How is this significant?

2. What is the most important part of the Christmas program? Why is it surprising that Mary Alice is chosen to play an important role in this? Why might she have been chosen?

3. Why does Grandma change her mind regarding Mrs. Weidenbach's request?

4. What is another way that Grandma surprises Mary Alice during this holiday season? How is this surprise important?

5. How does Mary Alice finally take a chance and ask Royce over to visit? How does Grandma feel about this? Why?

6. What is the final surprise in this chapter? Are you surprised by this? Why or why not?

7. How do Ina-Rae and Mary Alice get back at Carleen? Why do they do it in this way?

8. What is Grandma's final surprise for Mary Alice? What does this reinforce about Grandma?

9. What does Bootsie bring back to Mary Alice? Why might he do this?

10. Who is the strange man who comes calling? Why?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Grandma lives in a small hick town.

Part 1) Describe this small town and its inhabitants. Why does Mary Alice think she will not like this town? In the end, does Mary Alice end up liking the town? Why or why not?

Part 2) What does this town reveal about Americans throughout the country during the 1930s? What aspects of this town are universal and could represent many towns throughout the U.S.?

Part 3) How does this town compare to your own? How have Americans changed since the 1930s? How have they stayed the same? What are possible causes of these similarities and differences?

Essay Topic 2

Mary Alice and Ina-Rae conspire against Carleen.

Part 1) How do these girls use Valentine's Day to get back at Carleen? Why do they do this? Are they successful? Why or why not? What does this behavior reveal about Mary Alice at this point in the story?

Part 2) How else does Mary Alice begin to take a stand for herself and others throughout this book? Why does she do this? How does her behavior compare to Grandma's?

Part 3) How can you stand up more for yourself and others? Would you consider using tactics similar to those used by Mary Alice and Grandma? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 3

A "dangerous man" arrives in town.

Part 1) Who is this man? Describe him and the reason he is in town. Why might people of this town consider him dangerous? How do these fears affect the way they treat him? How does Grandma take advantage of this? Why does she do this?

Part 2) Describe the event that leads the citizens of this town to like him even less? Is he to blame for this surprising and shocking incident? Why or why not? Why does the town see him as guilty?

Part 3) How does Grandma help to turn the town's opinion around regarding this man? Why does she want to help him? What does this turn-around reinforce about this town?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,400 words (approx. 5 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample