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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. When was Florence born?

2. What islands does Gussie like to pretend that she and Florence swim around?

3. When did Forbes publish a report warning about the price of real estate in Florida?

4. Where did Isaac go when he left home?

5. What time did Stuart and Florence used to go out for her swims?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is the history behind Stuart's father's hotel?

2. Why does Fannie find her mother exhausting to be around sometimes?

3. What note did Gussie leave for her aunt Florence?

4. What has Fannie and Florence's relationship been like?

5. Why did Fannie and Florence argue the last time Florence visited Fannie in the hospital?

6. How is Joseph's bread factory laid out?

7. What does Esther decide about telling Fannie that Florence has died?

8. What do Anna and Stuart do to get Gussie not to tell anyone about Florence's death?

9. Why does Joseph rent a beach chair for a week in "Joseph"?

10. What do Joseph and Esther do after Florence's graveside service?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Idioms are words that have a figurative, rather than a literal meaning. How does the author use idioms in the book? Why are the idioms sometimes difficult to understand? Why do the idioms often require research to understand their meaning? Why are idioms especially difficult for Anna to understand?

Essay Topic 2

Stuart is a lifeguard, even though he could work for his father who owns a large hotel. Why does Stuart not work for his father? Why does he not want to be involved in his father’s business?

Essay Topic 3

Backstories are used to present information about events that happened before events in the novel. How do backstories provide insight into characters and events? What is the importance of backstories in this novel?

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