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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. Where do Alice and Arthur sometimes nap?

2. What does Arthur say that Mother asked him to do on the way to the San?

3. Why does Aunt Frances say that Alice should call her rather than the nurses?

4. How old is Alice when she goes to live with Nonna?

5. What is Alice's main concern about living with Mother?

Short Essay Questions

1. How is Arthur's presence during Mother's trip to the San in Part One: Mother-Arthur important?

2. Does Uncle Billy love Alice?

3. Describe Mother's unusual behavior in the first chapter of Florida.

4. How does Alice feel about going back to live with Mother after she is institutionalized and Alice moves in with Aunt Frances and Uncle Billy?

5. Is Aunt Frances selfish?

6. Describe some of Mother's strengths.

7. Why do you think Mother makes such extravagant gifts for her family at Christmas?

8. Why are the little gifts that Nonna gives to Alice important?

9. Why are Mother's crystal glasses important to Alice?

10. Why do Aunt Frances and Arlette take charge of unpacking Mother's things?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Do you think 15-year-old Alice's behavior of staying out late and being involved with boys is understandable, immoral or risky? Explain your answers to each of these three judgments with evidence from the story and your own personal opinion.

Essay Topic 2

What motivates the greed, if you think they are greedy, of the following characters in the story: Uncle Billy, Alice, Mother, Aunt Frances?

Essay Topic 3

Symbolism is seen in both Mother's fondness for naming things and in the use of locations as chapter titles.

1) Compare and contrast the Emerald Gem and the Mouse.

2) How do Arlette's stories differ from the Big House chapters?

3) Define Mother via these items: the Magnavox, the sun box, and her lost glove.

(see the answer keys)

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