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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 Pete tell the girls was the most dangerous part of a man-of-war jellyfish?

2. What distinct article of clothing was Charlie wearing in her death photograph?

3. Which lunch does Mary remember most loving as a child, remembering how the construction worker men ate the meal with reverence?

4. Which of the following snacks did Mary typically eat while at the Liars' Club meetings?

5. What beverage did Grandma Moore drink to dull her cancerous pain?

Short Essay Questions

1. What was Mary's reaction to seeing her mother in the mental hospital for the first time?

2. What was the effect of the many years of hard drinking on Pete's body?

3. What story did Pete regularly tell about the way his father died?

4. How did Mary know her relationship with her neighbors in Texas was beginning to change?

5. What did Mary believe to be the most traumatic memory of her childhood?

6. Where was Mary when she was sexually assaulted, and what was her reaction to the event?

7. After leaving the hospital, how did Charlie react when visiting the Houston Zoo?

8. How did Grandma Moore treat Cousin Dotty in comparison to the way she treated Charlie?

9. How did Mary feel after her mother served her her first alcoholic beverage?

10. How did the Karr family cope when they were all struck with insomnia at the same time?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Around Mary's tenth birthday, Pete and Charlie begin to struggle for power in their relationship, a conflict that comes out in various ways in the relationship. First, explain how Pete attempts to exert his power in the relationship and compare / contrast that to the way Charlie attempts to exert her power in the relationship. What is the same about their struggles for power? What is different? What is the effect of this power struggle on the maturity of the children in the house? Be sure to include at least two scenes from the memoir to strengthen your arguments.

Essay Topic 2

The Karr family's move to Colorado signals a real change in the relationship between Charlie and Pete. First, explain why the family decided to move to Colorado in the first place. Then, describe how this motivation signals a shift in the balance of power between Charlie and Pete. How do you see this relationship change carry out through the family's time in Colorado? Be sure to include at least two examples of scenes from the text that you believe help strengthen your argument.

Essay Topic 3

After Grandma Moore's death, Charlie begins a deep, downward spiral. First, explain the timeline of events that eventually lead Charlie to her pitiful state at the end of the novel. Who / what does Charlie blame for the fate of her life? Who / what does Mary blame for her mother's problems? As a reader, who / what do you think is responsible for landing Charlie in her emotional and physical state at the end of the memoir? Be sure to include at least two scenes from the memoir to strengthen your arguments.

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