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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. In a final Christmas surprise, Grandma did what?

2. The heart of the program is what?

3. While Mary Alice thinks Christmas is not exactly Grandma's favorite holiday, Grandma surprises her how?

4. How is the crowd shocked?

5. What does Bootsie bring that he will not allow Mary Alice to keep?

Short Essay Questions

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

2. What is Grandma's final surprise for Mary Alice? What does this reinforce about Grandma?

3. How does Mary Alice finally take a chance and ask Royce over to visit? How does Grandma feel about this? Why?

4. How does Grandma take advantage of this man? Why does she do this?

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

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

7. How is Mary Alice's date interrupted? How is this foreshadowed?

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

9. What does Bootsie bring back to Mary Alice? Why might he do this?

10. How do the girls react when a new boy enrolls in school? How does Mary Alice act? Why might she act this way?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

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 2

Mary Alice falls in love with Royce.

Part 1) How do Mary Alice's feelings for Royce develop throughout the book? How do his feelings for her mirror her feelings for him? How is Mary Alice finally able to get the courage up to invite Royce over? How might Grandma have played a role in this?

Part 2) What about Royce is appealing to Mary Alice and the other girls? Do you see in him what these girls see? Why or why not? What is special about Mary Alice? How does she stand out from the rest of the girls in her school?

Part 3) What other romantic attachments take place in this book? What is the purpose of these attachments to the story? How are they tied to the plot, character development, and/or themes?

Essay Topic 3

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?

(see the answer keys)

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