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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 is Trudi almost tempted to do at the river?

2. What does Hanna's mother not show people for a long time?

3. Where does the narrator's mother go?

4. What does the mother trust over the next three days?

5. Where does Hanna's mother go swimming?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Trudi call Hanna's father's actions concerning his marriage and what does Hanna think about that?

2. What do the townspeople thing about Hanna's mother and how do they respond to her paintings?

3. How is Oma healed of the second blood clot?

4. What does Hanna learn from Trudi about her father?

5. What does the narrator's mother learn when she returns to the convent after starting labor?

6. Who is Klara Blocker?

7. Who does Hanna befriend?

8. Who is Siegfried Tegern and what does he dream?

9. What do many people believe is the cause of Trudi becoming an old maid?

10. How did Trudi's mother dropping her supposedly affect her?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the following:

1. What is a plot? What are the most important elements of a plot and their definition? Do all novels have a plot? Why or why not?

2. Write a brief synopsis of the plot of Floating in My Mother's Palm, identifying where the various elements of the plot occur (Exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, resolution or denouement). Do you find it difficult to identify the plot? Why or why not? What about the various elements of the plot?

3. Identify the major sub-plots and their elements in Floating in My Mother's Palm. (The subplots may not contain every element of a major plot). Do the sub-plots add to the main plot? Why or why not. Are the sub-plots interesting in and of themselves? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 2

Many novels, and perhaps a majority, of novels ends on a happy note. Discuss the following:

1. Why do you think many (most?) people want what they perceive as a happy or good ending to a novel? Explain your opinion. Do you? Why or why not?

2. What are three reasons to read fiction? Discuss each one in light of Floating in My Mother's Palm and whether or not it fulfills all three, two or one of the reasons you mention. Give examples as to why Floating in My Mother's Palm is or is not successful in fulfilling the reasons you discuss.

3. Do you think reading solely for entertainment is as good a reason to read as any other? Why or why not? Can any work of fiction or non-fiction, no matter how poorly written, enlighten, teach, stimulate thought? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 3

In Baby Mansion, the reader learns that Hanna was once inappropriately touched by the local bike store owner and that this man made his own granddaughter pregnant with his child. This also follows with the theme of danger. However, this also touches the theme of love as Hanna embraces both Karin and her infant daughter, trying in her innocent way to find a way to keep them together but failing.

1. Do you think Hanna's mother handled Hanna's encounter with the bike store owner? Why or why not? Use examples from the text and your own life to support your answer.

2. Do you think if Hanna's mother had said something to Karin's mother it might have saved Karin? Why or why not? Use examples from the text and your own life to support your answer.

3. Discuss the ways in which Hanna demonstrates love in her dealing with Karin and the baby. Use examples from the text and your own life to support your answer.

(see the answer keys)

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