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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. What made Ginny order what she did?

2. Who does Richard say sent the package from Aunt Peg to Ginny?

3. Why is Ginny afraid to cross the road in Rome?

4. What does David ask Ginny to do?

5. Of what is Mari's house full?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Ginny decide to get the money to the artist?

2. Where does Ginny go to search for artists, and what does she decide?

3. What does Ginny decide to do to get rid of the tickets she now holds and how many does she give away?

4. What does Ginny think of the streets in Rome and how does she find the metro station?

5. What is the first thing Ginny sees in Edinburgh and what does Keith say about her going alone? Where does the person she is going to see live?

6. What is Ginny's experience the second night of Keith's show, and what does he do?

7. Where does Ginny go at the Coliseum, what does she do and what does the letter she opens there say?

8. What is Ginny's experience in the theater?

9. Where does Ginny go and what does she get there?

10. Who is Ginny supposed to meet in Edinburgh and why? How does Ginny feel about going there?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Ginny always felt as though she was more interesting around her Aunt Peg. She was rather shy and tried hard to blend in wherever possible, which was almost impossible with a thirty pound green and purple backpack. It is a June afternoon when Ginny arrived at the 4th Noodle Penthouse to pick up the package left to her by Aunt Peg. The smell is immediately familiar and she half expects Peg to come in any second, but of course that is impossible. She can't believe her Aunt is actually gone. Her visits to Peg had been infrequent, but magical. Peg had always been flighty, so when her phone stopped working, no one panicked.

1. Discuss, in detail, why you think Ginny always felt more interesting around her aunt. Use examples from your own life and "13 Little Blue Envelopes" to support your answer.

2. Discuss, in detail, ways in which you think Ginny could overcome her shyness. Use examples from your own life and "13 Little Blue Envelopes" to support your answer.

3. Discuss what you think Ginny might be feeling and thinking when she enters the penthouse. Use examples from your own life and "13 Little Blue Envelopes" to support your answer.

Essay Topic 2

Often, authors will write about "what they know," and sometimes knowing a little about the author makes the books more interesting. Discuss the following:

1. Research and give a brief biographical sketch of Maureen Johnson.

2. What in Johnson's background may have helped him in writing "13 Little Blue Envelopes"? What may have influenced the way he depicts various characters and scenes?

3. Do you think there is always some of the author's own life in his/her novels? Why or why not? Give examples.

Essay Topic 3

"13 Little Blue Envelopes" belongs to the teen novel genre. Discuss the following:

1. Define the literary term "genre" and give several examples of three other genres in addition to the teen novel genre.

2. Discuss two reasons why it might be useful to label a text by genre and two reasons it might be disadvantageous to label a text by genre.

3. What do you think is the difference between a teen novel and a historical novel?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,387 words (approx. 5 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample