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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 do the guards make Rifka's family do at the Polish border?

2. Who is Rifka's grandmother?

3. How does Rifka know Tovah?

4. Where is Rifka sent to get treatment for her disease?

5. What do the Russian guards use to search the train?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is Uncle Avrum's role in helping Rifka's family escape on the train?

2. What disease is Rifka diagnosed with in Poland and what is her prognosis?

3. Why is Rifka acting as a distraction on the train?

4. What happens when Mama, Papa and Nathan come down with typhus, and where do Rifka and Saul go?

5. What is Rifka doing as the novel opens?

6. Describe Rifka's personality traits and which is probably her strongest trait?

7. What lie does Rifka tell to the guards on the train in order to quell their suspicions?

8. How is life in Russia better for Tovah than it was for Rifka?

9. What humiliating things are forced upon Rifka and her family by the guards and a doctor at the Polish border?

10. What is Saul's advice for preventing the innkeeper's daughter from eating her food in the future?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

"Letters from Rifka" is a letter-based novel. Explain the concept of what a letter-based novel is and cite examples that support your answer.

Essay Topic 2

Karen Hesse is a master at dramatic devices. Choose an example of symbolism, metaphor, and irony, and briefly describe them and identify the technique which they embody.

Essay Topic 3

Despite the extremely trying times of people living in the post World War I immigration era, there are some who are very generous and supportive of each other. Cite at least three examples that show this strength of character and generosity.

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