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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 does Janey place her feet on to sleep at night?

2. What does Janey want to buy with her nickel?

3. What is Bounce's job?

4. Janey thinks that Lupe's dress makes Lupe's skin look ___________________.

5. Who is the head of the family living near Janey's family?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is unspoken between Janey and Lupe regarding the ride ticket that Lupe gives Janey?

2. How does the author use foreshadowing regarding the willow plate in Chapter 4?

3. What is known about Janey's mother and the woman she calls Mom?

4. How does Janey finally decide to spend her own nickel?

5. What is the significance of the blue willow plate to Janey?

6. Why is the nickel such a big thing for Mom to give to Janey?

7. Who is Bounce Reyburn and how do the Larkins encounter him?

8. Why is paying rent good news for Janey?

9. Who is Lupe Romero and how does Janey encounter her?

10. Why is Janey jealous of Lupe?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Describe the overall setting for the story. Why does the author use the setting she does? What is the time period of the story? How important is the time period to the attitudes and issues of the characters?

Essay Topic 2

The author uses more than one iteration on the theme of struggle. Identify at least two instances about struggle in the book and then cite examples to support your answers.

Essay Topic 3

What is the greatest lesson Janey learns from her mother? Is it true that important lessons are also painful ones? What will Janey always recall about her mother from their experiences in California during the Great Depression?

(see the answer keys)

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