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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 sends the package for Ava in "December Becky"?

2. When Kelly returns from changing Oliver, she finds a mix-up. They are missing something. What is it?

3. Ayinde tells the friends that she and Richard will be appearing on what television show?

4. Of whom is Andrew speaking when he says, "Fine, disown us, we're better off without her"?

5. What does Ayinde say to Richard after she finds out he has cheated on her and she has had time to calm down?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is symbolic about Lia mentioning that she wished she had her mother's blue coat when she is going to talk to Merrill?

2. What is Kelly trying to do by not letting Steve help even when he offers?

3. How does Becky crack the tough shell Mimi has built around her?

4. How does Mimi finally go too far and prompt Becky to stand up to her?

5. Lia calls her mother at the end of the "January Kelly" with the intent of asking her to meet her so she can forgive her and let her know it. How does Lia's mother turn the tables?

6. Describe how Kelly struggles in "December Kelly" with raising the baby and working.

7. How does the author foreshadow the disaster of the magazine interview?

8. How does Ayinde implement what she learned from her parents in her childhood: that she was a lucky little girl to live so well and she had to be kind and helpful to those less fortunate?

9. How does the need for communication show in "February Kelly"?

10. How does the fact that Julian is crying when Kelly and Lia arrive and the knowledge that Ayinde didn't know he was crying show the emotional turmoil that she is going through?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Many characters in the story have experienced a loss. Choose one loss. Tell about this loss and how it affected the character.

Essay Topic 2

Lia, Ayinde, Becky, and Kelly all have difficult relationships with their mothers and mothers-in-law. Think about how these relationships affect them and the bonds they develop with their babies. For example, Ayinde clearly wants to parent her children differently than the way she was raised, however, she also wants to live up to her mother's expectations by taking the book Baby Success seriously. How does Ayinde deal with balancing these two sides and will it affect Ayinde's relationship with Julian? How? Also, how do Ayinde's childhood memories affect the relationship with Julian?

Essay Topic 3

All of the friends underwent many changes during Little Earthquakes. One of the biggest transformations was with Lia. Describe how Lia changed in the story.

(see the answer keys)

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