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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. Which of the following means of transportation do Beryl and Selina take to the park?

2. How many siblings does Beryl have?

3. When Suggie gives Selina some rum to drink in Book 2, what does she tell Selina that the rum will do to her?

4. How much does the Boyce family get from the sale of their land?

5. In Book 3, Chapter 1, what is it about Selina that changes at the same time that the major world event is taking place?

Short Essay Questions

1. Deighton starts to believe in a cult-like religion. Which cult-like religion is it?

2. How do Selina's daydreams about Barbados differ from her mother's memories?

3. Why does Selina think that babies are born by chopping the mother's stomach open?

4. What event takes place in Book 3 that coincides with the beginning of World War II?

5. In Book 3, Chapters 1-4, what does Florrie do to Selina that shocks her so much? And why does she do it?

6. How do Deighton's actions support Silla's annoyances with him?

7. How do the clothes that Selina, Silla, and Ina wear to the wedding of 'Gupta Steed's daughter reflect their positions in the family?

8. In Book 1, why does Selina not want to wear the second-hand clothes that Silla has brought home?

9. Why is Selina uncomfortable in Book 2 when she sees the couple making out in the park ?

10. Beryl's father asks Selina about her own father, and then tells her that he is a disgrace. Why does that upset Selina so much?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Silla and Selina have a volatile relationship. Describe and analyze the changes that take place in their relationship over time. In what way(s) does Selina evolve into a person like her mother? Different from her mother? Does she embody more of Silla's negative characteristics, or more of her positive characteristics? Do you think that Selina surpasses her mother in character? Why or why not? Support your position with statements from the novel.

Essay Topic 2

Describe and analyze the ways in which Selina is innocent and how she gains knowledge. Connect those ideas to major themes in the book. In other words, identify the areas in which Selina is innocent, and track her journey into a more knowledgeable status in the area(s) that you cite. What themes do those topics illuminate?

Essay Topic 3

How do various aspects of the setting impact Selina's story? The response might include the year, world events, social, and class expectations - Brooklyn in the 1940's, cultural beliefs, etc. Use evidence from the book to support your points.

(see the answer keys)

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