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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. Who does Simon plan to marry in Chapter 20?

2. What is Violet hospitalized for in Chapter 11?

3. Where does Henry go for Christmas in Chapter 15?

4. Why does Eileen go to Dublin in Chapter 17?

5. What does Aisling suggest Ethel do in Chapter 17?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Aisling look forward to on her wedding day?

2. What upsets Eileen at the beginning of Chapter 17?

3. What difficulties does Aisling face with Tony in Chapter 17? What conclusion does she come to about her marriage?

4. What promise does Elizabeth make to Eileen before she dies?

5. What does Aisling tell Elizabeth about married life in Chapter 14?

6. Why does Elizabeth decline to invite Stone to Aisling's wedding? What does Eileen tell Elizabeth when she arrives for the wedding?

7. What changes occur in Elizabeth's love life in Chapter 15? What difficulties does Aisling face in her marriage in Chapter 15?

8. How does Elizabeth quiet her father's insistence that she should marry soon in Chapter 14?

9. After the death of Elizabeth's mother, what does Eileen advise her to do?

10. How does Elizabeth's and Stone's relationship come to an end in Chapter 16?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss love and romance in the novel "Light a Penny Candle". Who does Elizabeth first fall in love with? How does this relationship sway her decisions and affect the rest of her life? Does she find true happiness with her husband Henry? Why or why not? Does Aisling ever love Tony? Does she ever love Stone?

Essay Topic 2

Analyze and interpret the parent-child relationships in the novel. Discuss the ups and downs of the following relationships:

a) Elizabeth and Violet/ Harry.

b) Elizabeth and George.

c) Sean Sr. and Sean Jr.

d) Aisling and Eileen.

Essay Topic 3

The novel opens during WWII. How are the characters of the novel affected by the war? Does Binchy use the war as a plot device in the novel? Why or why not?

(see the answer keys)

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