View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. Ginny wonders why the musically talented Pete married Rose, and it seemed the only thing the two had in common was ___________.

2. Larry purchases new ______________ he doesn't need and leaves them outside where they get ruined by the rain.

3. What is the game the next generation at the farm begins to play which ends up taking about two weeks?

4. After the papers for the farm are signed, who decides to leave without saying goodbye and the car gone by the time anyone else notices?

5. Larry is whining to everyone at the picnic instead of waiting for people to talk to him, mostly about the conditions at the _________.

Short Essay Questions

1. What ends the two week long Monopoly game and causes the family to react angrily?

2. What did Ginny and Rose do in order to help Caroline grow up well even though her mother had died?

3. After the storm and the incident in the storm, what does Ginny decide she needs to do for her father?

4. What is on the papers which Ken LaSalle gives to Ginny when she is served?

5. What do Ginny and the girls encounter when they arrive home after their swimming trip?

6. Why was Jess in church that morning, as he explains later when his father and brother are not around?

7. When Ty returns with the missing Larry, what does Larry have to say to Ginny in person?

8. What has Ty wanted to do for years with his share of the farm he lives on?

9. What happens to the kitchen cabinets that Larry purchases, even though he doesn't need them?

10. What does Ginny currently do for three households each and every day when she is 36?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The prospect of freedom is something that is explored at several points of this story.

Part 1: How do you think the characters are trapped in this story?

Part 2: How do you think the characters are free in this story?

Part 3: Do you think it's easier for the characters to be trapped or to be free? Why?

Essay Topic 2

The idea of being a parent is one that is debated in this novel, with different versions of parenting being represented.

Part 1: How do you think motherhood is portrayed in this novel? Positively? Negatively?

Part 2: How do you think fatherhood is portrayed in this novel? Positively? Negatively?

Part 3: What do you think the author's feelings about parenting are?

Essay Topic 3

The multiple miscarriages of Ginny are a sad fact she shares almost without feeling at times.

Part 1: Why do you think Ginny has continued to have so many miscarriages in her life?

Part 2: What is the symbolism of Ginny not being able to carry a child in her womb?

Part 3: Do you think the Ginny would have made a good mother? Why or why not?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 673 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample