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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 are Mary Alice and Grandma helping each other do when a man with a strange accent comes calling in April?

2. Mrs. Weidenbach has come to Grandma because of what?

3. This man explains he was sent to Grandma by Maxine Patch, the postmistress, and that he is in town to do what?

4. Taking advantage of Arnold's desperation, Grandma charges him the princely sum of _________________ a day for rent.

5. A terrified Arnold Green pads down the stairs. How does he explain this surprising event?

Short Essay Questions

1. How has Mary Alice's relationship with the other girls changed? In what ways has it stayed the same?

2. How do the townspeople treat Arnold after this shocking event? Why?

3. How does Grandma initially respond to Mrs. Weidenbach's request? Why?

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

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

6. Why does Grandma change her mind regarding Mrs. Weidenbach's request?

7. What does Grandma do to pay the bills and survive during the Great Depression? How is this foreshadowed?

8. Why might the townspeople act this way toward this strange man?

9. 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?

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

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Pride is a theme.

Part 1) What is pride? How is this a theme in this story? What role does Grandma play in this theme? Why? How is this a universal theme?

Part 2) How can you relate to this theme? When has pride been an important theme in your own life? What can you learn about pride from this story?

Part 3) What other themes are important to this story? How is each theme significant? How are these themes connected to the main characters? How are these themes connected to one another?

Essay Topic 2

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?

Essay Topic 3

The Daughters of the American Revolution meeting is used as a lesson.

Part 1) Describe the events leading up to the DAR meeting. Why is Grandma asked to participate? Initially, why did you believe she wanted to hold the meeting at her home? What takes place at this meeting? How was this foreshadowed?

Part 2) Why does Grandma decide to teach Mrs. Weidenbach a lesson? How is this lesson taught in typical Grandma fashion? Should she have put Mrs. Weidenbach in her place like this? Why or why not?

Part 3) Do you believe Mrs. Weidenbach learned a lesson? Why or why not? Might there have been a better way to teach Mrs. Weidenbach a lesson? If so, how? If not, why not?

(see the answer keys)

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