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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. Tita wonders who will _______________ if she does not have any daughters of her own.

2. What does Tita sob on that she had been creating for her married life?

3. What does Tita do that makes her run away from Mama?

4. Who is helping Tita make the wedding cake for Pedro and his new wife?

5. What does Tita refuse to do as she is in such deep grief?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does Mama Elena burn Gertrudis' birth certificate upon hearing news of her life?

2. Why wasn't Tita upset about the frying of her little sausage creatures during the holiday season?

3. Why does Pedro agree to marry Tita's sister Rosaura, even though he wanted to marry Tita?

4. Where does John the doctor end up taking Tita after bringing her from her home?

5. What had John's grandmother told him about people and what it meant that they had a box of matches inside?

6. Why has Tita lost her interest in cooking at this time of the book, causing her to avoid her kitchen duties?

7. Why are Chechna and Tita supposed to be making as many sausages as possible?

8. What are the guests' reactions after eating the wedding cake Tita has prepared?

9. How does Tita plan to fatten up the turkeys for the meal she wishes to prepare?

10. What does Nacha tell Tita to do after her mother leaves the kitchen, even though her mother told her not to?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

It's interesting to watch the story unfold as the reader sees a group of strong women dominating the narrative. This is much different from the typical stories most of us are told.

Part 1: Why do you think the women of the family in this story are so strong? What might the reason be?

Part 2: In what ways are the women of the story strong? How do each of the family members - Mama, Tita, Gertrudius, and Rosaura each demonstrate their strength?

Part 3: How might the story have been different had the characters not been as strong?

Essay Topic 2

Communication happens in a variety of ways in this story - sometimes through cooking, other times through words, etc.

Part 1: What is the importance of communication in this story? What does it do for the characters?

Part 2: Which type of communication do you think is the strongest form? Why?

Part 3: With all of the different forms of communication, what kinds of problems could result for the characters?

Essay Topic 3

The idea of taking care of others seems to come up quite often in this story, with many characters relying on other characters, as well as characters being the nurturers.

Part 1: How does this story define the idea of nurturing? Does this definition seem to be realistic?

Part 2: Why does Tita feel so strongly about Rosaura's son? Why is she so attentive to him?

Part 3: Do you think nurturing can ever go too far? Why or why not?

(see the answer keys)

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