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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. Grandma comes out of the cobhouse, frightening the boys, and covers the leader in what?

2. Mary Alice accompanies Grandma upstairs for what reason?

3. The _____________ family are notoriously bad people.

4. Who is Mary Alice's favorite singer?

5. What happens when Augie aims his gun at the fleeing rabbit?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Old Man Nyquist upset Grandma?

2. What does Grandma do instead of participating in the sharpshooting competition? Why might she do this?

3. How does Grandma continue to taunt the pranksters during the party? How might the pranksters feel about this?

4. How does Grandma get back at Old Man Nyquist? Should she have done this? Why or why not?

5. How does Grandma defeat Mildred, the bully? What lesson does this teach Mary Alice?

6. What is Armistice Day? What is a holiday that we have that serves a similar purpose? What is the purpose of this holiday?

7. What does Mary Alice bring to Grandma's house? Why does she bring this?

8. How does Grandma greet Mary Alice? Why might she act this way?

9. Why is Mary Alice afraid at night in her room? How does she deal with this fear?

10. What has happened to Mrs. Abernathy's son? Is this still seen today? Why or why not?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The first section begins a pattern that repeats throughout the rest of the book.

Part 1) What is this pattern? How is this pattern significant? What theme does this pattern support? What characters does this pattern and theme affect? How are they affected?

Part 2) How is this pattern and theme relevant to your own life? How can you relate to the characters in this book through this theme?

Part 3) What is another book you have read or story you have heard that has this same theme? Is this a universal theme? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 2

Grandma hunts foxes to survive.

Part 1) Describe Grandma's hunting technique. Are you surprised by her decision to hunt foxes? Why or why not? How might she have come to be a fox hunter? What does this reinforce about her character?

Part 2) What is the purpose for revealing this in the story? How does this help to develop Grandma's character and her relationship with Mary Alice?

Part 3) How have other characters in this story adapted to the hard times of the Great Depression? How might you have adapted at this time to survive? What skills do you posses that would be useful?

Essay Topic 3

The Christmas season brings many surprises.

Part 1) What are the Christmas season surprises? How does each surprise come about? How are these surprises significant to the plot and/or character development?

Part 2) How is surprise an important aspect of this book? What other surprises take place throughout this book? What are the purposes of all these surprises? How are various characters change by the surprises in this story?

Part 3) What surprises have been significant in your own life? How have you been changed by surprise events? How can you relate to the characters in this book, regarding surprising events?

(see the answer keys)

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