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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. Who does Penny overhear talking about the young girl in her ward who is dying?

2. What is the name of Pop-pop's deceased nephew whom he claims to be able to talk to through radio static?

3. Which of the following activities does Penny find most exhausting during her stay at the hospital?

4. Who stands up for Frankie by speaking on his behalf?

5. What happens to the charges that have been filed against Frankie?

Short Essay Questions

1. According to the narrative in Chapter 17 of the book, how do Penny's relatives make her feel special while she is in the hospital?

2. Based on the narrative in Chapter 15 of the book, what contributes to Penny spending a perfect day with Uncle Dominic some time after she is grounded for having disobeyed Me-me's order of not going to the public pool with Frankie?

3. According to the text in Chapter 17 of the book, what happens in relation to those who visit Penny as she continues her stay in the hospital?

4. According to the text in the twelfth chapter of the book, how does Uncle Dominic resolve the situations that Uncle Benny gets into as family members are attempting to make their way to and from Aunt Concetta's wake?

5. According to the text in Chapter 13 of the book, what normal events take place in Penny's life on her birthday?

6. According to the narrative in the thirteenth chapter of the book, what types of items is Penny gifted with on her birthday that may help enhance her appearance?

7. According to the text in Chapter 17 of the book, what contributes to Penny's disappointment while she is in the hospital?

8. According to the narrative in Chapter 17 of the book, what are Penny's thoughts in relation to the people who stop by to visit her while she is in the hospital?

9. According to the text in Chapter 18, what happens to the eight-year-old female cancer patient after all the other children (with the exception of Penny) have been released from the hospital and gone home?

10. Based on the narrative in Chapter 14 of the book, why has Frankie decided to run to Penny's house and hide there?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The time comes when Penny realizes that the friendship between her mother and Mr. Mulligan is a romantic type. Does that time in Penny's life signal a forced end to her childhood in terms of having to let go of her father? Or does it signal the beginning of Penny's transition into adulthood in terms of accepting a new man in her mother's life, and a new father in hers? Cite examples and/or paraphrase scenarios from the book in support of your position.

Essay Topic 2

During Penny's stay in the hospital, Mr. Mulligan visits her, and the two begin a daily meeting of the minds in relation to the news of the day, which Mr. Mulligan shares with Penny via the newspaper. That series of events presents Penny with a pleasant personality traits of Mr. Mulligan that she was not familiar with, and that she learns to appreciate. Looking back at some of the things that Penny did to dissuade Mr. Mulligan from remaining romantically involved with her mother, such as being cross with him and lying to him about her mother having hit her, can Penny's new outlook toward him be based more on her desire for reconciliation, or on her finally accepting that a new man in both her life and that of her mother's may be inevitable and imminent? Cite text and/or paraphrase scenarios from the book to support your position.

Essay Topic 3

As Penny begins her job at Falucci's Market, we meet Uncle Ralphie and Aunt Fulvia - a married couple who apparently do not see eye to eye in the area of finances. Specifically, what are the differences between them? Are either one of them justified in the position that they uphold? Who is right? Who would you side with and why? Include text and/or paraphrase scenarios from the book to support your position.

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