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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 is her true family?

2. How does Mrs. Weidenbach react to Grandma's demand?

3. Who turns out to be Mrs. Weidenbach's long-lost sistert?

4. When do Mary Alice and Royce meet?

5. Valentine's Day is coming. Around this time, Mary Alice has been secretly doing what?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is one way that Grandma surprises Mary Alice during this holiday season? How is this important?

2. How do Ina-Rae and Mary Alice get back at Carleen? Why do they do it in this way?

3. What is another way that Grandma surprises Mary Alice during this holiday season? How is this surprise important?

4. What is the most important part of the Christmas program? Why is it surprising that Mary Alice is chosen to play an important role in this? Why might she have been chosen?

5. Why is this man in town? What does Grandma think of this?

6. What is learned about Mrs. Weidenbach? How is this significant?

7. How does Mrs. Weidenbach act when Grandma agrees to bake the tarts, if the meeting is held at Grandma's home? Why does she react this way?

8. What is the final surprise in this chapter? Are you surprised by this? Why or why not?

9. Why does Mrs. Weidenbach ask for Grandma's help? Why is this surprising?

10. How is Carleen Lovejoy like Mildred Burdick?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Mildred Burdick is a bully.

Part 1) How is Mildred a bully? Why is she a bully? How has this bad behavior been passed down through the generations in the Burdick family?

Part 2) How are others affected by Mildred's behavior? What happens to Mildred by the end of the book? What does this say about bullies? What might this also reveal about the author's opinion of bullies?

Part 3) How have you been affected by bullying? How have you dealt with bullying? How has society worked toward stopping bullying? Has it been successful? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 2

Many in this town are stingy.

Part 1) Describe four characters in this town who are stingy. Why are they stingy? Would they be stingy if the economy were better? Why or why not?

Part 2) How does Grandma encourage these characters to be more giving? Are her tactics morally correct? Why or why not? What other tactics might be as successful? How?

Part 3) Would you consider yourself to be a stingy person? Why or why not? How can you be more giving to others? How can you and others benefit from your increased ability to give?

Essay Topic 3

This book is a work of historical fiction.

Part 1) What details in the book make it a work of historical fiction? How are these details important to the story? How are they also important to the reader? Would this boo be as enticing and engaging without these historical facts? Why or why not?

Part 2) Why might someone choose to write a work of historical fiction? What is the purpose of all works of historical fiction? What is your opinion of historical fiction? Why? Has your opinion of historical fiction been influenced by reading this book? Why or why not?

Part 3) What is your favorite genre? Why?

(see the answer keys)

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