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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. Which customer softens in dealing with Mia after demanding a refund at first in Chapter 7?

2. Who is the son of the owner of the Calivista Motel?

3. What flowers does Jason give Mia in Chapter 22?

4. How much money did Mia's parents first come to America with?

5. What does Mr. Yao do to Mia's parents in Chapter 6 that upsets her parents?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why was the memory of the chocolate-scented notebook such a painful one for Mia?

2. Why does Mia stop just before she tells her new fifth-grade class she lives in a motel?

3. What is Mia's mother's tradition of "taking a picture" at happy or significant moments?

4. Why does Mia begin to feel sympathy for Jason Yao in Chapter 8?

5. What is the school principal's reaction to find out Mia speaks English when she meets Mia for the first time?

6. What kind of trouble does Uncle Ming tell Mia's parents he has gotten into?

7. What happens that causes a great stir at the motel in Chapter 21?

8. What does Mr. Yao tell Mia is the difference between a good employee and a bad employee?

9. Why does Mia's mother get fired from her job at the Chinese restaurant in Part I?

10. In Chapter 18, what does Lupe tell Mia about the two roller coasters in America?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

How does Mia remember her first experience meeting her elementary school principal? Why does Mia feel as if she needs to demonstrate her facility with speaking English with the principal at this first meeting? Write an essay explaining your answers, citing specific references to the text to help support your conclusions.

Essay Topic 2

What does it mean to Mia to find out that her good friend Lupe, also the child of recent immigrants to America, also struggles with some of the same challenges that Mia and her family encounter? Write an essay explaining your answers.

Essay Topic 3

Why does Mia keep her tip jar at the Calivista a secret from her parents? Write an essay explaining your answers, citing specific references to the text.

(see the answer keys)

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