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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 did the man who watched Valeria entering her work say to himself?

2. What does Mirella sometimes wear at home in the winter?

3. What is Mirella's new purse made of?

4. When Riccardo was a child, what did he want to be when he grew up?

5. Who invites Riccardo and Mirella to a dance?

Short Essay Questions

1. What happens when the family tries to find a replacement tuxedo for Riccardo?

2. What is Valeria called by the other characters?

3. In Valeria's opinion, why does Michele support Riccardo in his plan to go to Argentina?

4. What is Riccardo's attitude toward his father?

5. What does Valeria keep in her office drawer and what is its importance to her?

6. How does Valeria's family react when she says she might keep a diary?

7. After hearing about Mirella being seen coming out of Sandro's building, what does Valeria read about in the paper?

8. How does Michele react when Valeria tries to talk to him about Mirella, saying that her questions are about a colleague's daughter?

9. What does Valeria buy for Mirella and Riccardo with Christmas Eve in mind?

10. When Valeria phone's Giovanna, trying to find Mirella, what does Giovanna's mother tell her?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

What is the symbolic value of food in the novel? What does it represent? Focus on 1-3 examples to explore in detail.

Essay Topic 2

What role do finances play in the characters' relationships? Choose one relationship to focus on and examine the impact of money on that relationship.

Essay Topic 3

Explore the figure of the mother-in-law in the novel. How is this figure depicted in Valeria's memories of her own mother-in-law and in her relationship with Marina?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 659 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample