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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. Why did Slavenka buy a doll in East Berlin?

2. In "Our Little Stasi", what bill did Slavenka struggle to pay?

3. Why did Slavenka visit East Berlin in "A Doll that Grew Old"?

4. Why were cleaning services forbidden in Communist times?

5. In response to an abundance of food after the fall of Communism, what was considered a luxury?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why was soup a popular dish under the Communist rule?

2. Where did Ulrike live when she was released from prison?

3. Why did Slavenka have to learn of Ulrike's past from a friend rather than Ulrike?

4. Why was Ulrike's family forced to renounce her?

5. Why did Tanja kill herself?

6. Why was it considered luxurious not to eat, following the fall of Communism?

7. When Eastern European women had problems, who did they blame?

8. What lie did Slavenka tell her daughter, regarding comfortable toilet paper and other basic amenities?

9. Why was Slavenka disgusted by the idea of natural make-up when she saw it in the United States?

10. Why was Slavenka upset when her daughter asked for a Barbie?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Slavenka and her daughter were raised in two different cultures. Write an essay comparing and contrasting their similarities and differences.

Essay Topic 2

After Communism fell, basic items such as food became abundant in both variety and availability. In what interesting ways did this abundant lifestyle affect the people of Eastern Europe?

Essay Topic 3

The lack of hope is theme that runs throughout the book. Write an essay examining the lack of hope in one of the following people:

1) Tanja.

2) Slavenka.

3) Andrea.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 550 words (approx. 2 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample