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. Who tells her that she was actually adopted?

2. ________________ remains Mary Alice's biggest nemesis.

3. Also surprising, they go out and do what?

4. Grandma discovers Arnold is a single man, and ___________.

5. The artist, Arnold Green, explains that he is from ________, and that no one has had room in the entire town for him.

Short Essay Questions

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

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

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

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

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

6. 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?

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

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

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

10. Who is the strange man who comes calling? Why?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

"A Dangerous Man" touches upon the stereotype of spring.

Part 1) What is the stereotype of spring? How is this touched upon in this chapter? How does this stereotype affect the characters in this book?

Part 2) What is the author's purpose for focusing on this stereotype? How is this stereotype tied to other events and/or themes in this book?

Part 3) What is another story that focuses on this stereotype? What is the reason for this? What are the similarities between this story and "A Year Down Yonder"?

Essay Topic 2

The Epilogue takes place several years later.

Part 1) Describe the Epilogue. What is the purpose of the Epilogue? How does the way in which the Epilogue was written compare to the rest of the book?

Part 2) How has Mary Alice changed over the years? How has the world also changed in such a relatively short period of time? How does the Epilogue wrap up the story that takes place throughout the previous chapters of the book?

Part 3) Is the Epilogue necessary? Why or why not? Is it an effective ending to the story? Why or why not? Is this how you would have ended the story Why or why not? If not, how would have ended it?

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)

This section contains 1,215 words (approx. 5 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample