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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. How long do the girls think the aunts will be staying?

2. How was their grandfather's childhood house built?

3. What does Lucille do to keep Sylvie upstairs?

4. How does Lucille feel about all the freedom Sylvie gives them?

5. What happens to the girls' mother when Ruth is six?

Short Essay Questions

1. What happens to the town the second week that Sylvie is in Fingerbone?

2. What does Ruth do when Sylvie will not come upstairs when the house is flooded?

3. What does the narrator say about her grandfather's youth in the first chapter?

4. What story does Sylvie tell during their stay upstairs to escape the flood waters? How do Ruth and Lucille react?

5. What does the grandmother plan to do with the girls when she dies?

6. How does the grandfather's house fare in the flood?

7. What do the girls know about Sylvie after one day in the house?

8. What is Ruth and Lucille's response to Lucille's encounter with her teacher?

9. What does Sylvie do in response to Lily and Nona's ads?

10. What happens when Sylvie goes downstairs during the flood after telling the girls a story?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Sylvie tells the girls that she and her husband are out of touch. Explain with examples from the book why you would or would not want to have someone like Sylvie for a spouse.

Essay Topic 2

Why do you think Sylvie suggested the owner of a boat she steals is a lunatic? Do you think this reflects Sylvie's opinion of herself? Why?

Essay Topic 3

Why do you think Sylvie became frantic that Ruth might be taken from her? Support your opinion with evidence from the book.

(see the answer keys)

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