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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. Brenda's sentence was ______________ years in prison.

2. What did Diane's father do on a trip to Chattanooga?

3. What did Diane want to do when she saw her father's dead body?

4. Who molested Barbara when she was a girl?

5. The boy in #166 cheated on Diane _________________ after they got married.

Short Essay Questions

1. What did Mo'Shay's mother decide about raising Mo'Shay's baby and how does Mo'Shay get the love she has needed for so long from her mother?

2. What did Bonnie Foreshaw write about her childhood Jamaican family celebrations and occasions?

3. When did Brenda Medina realize what her mother's terrible secret was?

4. What was the Christmas basket program in prison?

5. What is the significance of the chapter, "Dancing in Leg Chains"?

6. What did Robin note about the less than spiritual activities going on during mass?

7. What did Brenda's mother do to her one night from which her father had to save Brenda and what did her father pray for each night?

8. How did Diane Bartholomew describe her very difficult childhood?

9. What memory from her past did Mo'Shay have that made her apprehensive about having sex with Reese?

10. Who was Shirley Shambly in Michelle Jessamy's story and why did Shirley's daughter, Mo'Shay resent her mother?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The women's stories contain more than one iteration on the theme of disappointment. Identify at least two characters in the stories who either embody or experience disappointment then cite an example to support your answers.

Essay Topic 2

Explain the concept of loneliness as it exhibits in the book. Why would these women have had lonely lives in America in the mid 20th century? Explain the loneliness and the methods and attempts to overcome it.

Essay Topic 3

Some of the women masterfully wove dramatic devices into their stories. Choose an example of symbolism, metaphors, and irony, briefly describe them and identify the technique which they embody.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,055 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample