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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, according to Eva and her parents, was the "big fear?"

2. What did Eva's teacher, Mr. Jones ask her about that only she could answer?

3. Vancouver's Board of Commerce claimed that Vancouver was the most beautiful city in the world after what city?

4. Who did Eva relate to best in Canada and consider her "real friends?"

5. When Eva and Alina arrived at school, what was the first English word that they understood?

Short Essay Questions

1. What role did humor play in learning a new language for the Wydra's and especially Eva? What was it like for Eva to tell a joke? What did not translate from Polish to English?

2. When Eva dreamed of staying in Poland, how did she imagine her life would have been had she stayed? What was "normal" to Eva and why did she believe that life in Poland would have been "normal?"

3. How did the concept of "internal goods" give Eva comfort and allow her to feel more comfortable with herself?

4. How did Mr. Ostropov play the role of the "mad Russian?"

5. When Eva and her friends would see a foreign film in Poland, what questions would they ask about the characters in the film? How does this relate to Eva's life in Canada?

6. In Eva's attempt at secrecy, what role did Mrs. Steiner play? Why did Eva place her is this position? What characteristics did Mrs. Steiner have that made Eva behave differently towards her?

7. Shortly after the Wydra's arrived in Canada, Eva had a bad dream. What was it and why was it significant?

8. Why did Eva choose English as the language she would write in when she received her new diary?

9. Why did Eva believe that speech was a class signifier?

10. How did Canada's work ethic affect Eva's father and his view of himself?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Describe the role of music and its importance to Eva throughout the memoir. Explain how her love of the the piano begins and what shape her music lesson take in Poland and then in Canada and beyond. How is a career in music viewed in Poland compared to a career in music elsewhere? Give examples from the book to support your discussion.

Essay Topic 2

Throughout the story, explain the meaning of "being Jewish" to the author. Give examples of how she explains her "Jewishness" at different times in her life and how her views of her ethnic background changes with each major geographical move in her life.

Essay Topic 3

What is the meaning of friendship throughout the story? For Eva, how does it change when she moves to Canada? How is friendship viewed by her parents? Compare her friendship with Basia and Penny? What are the differences? What are the similarities? Support your reasoning with examples from the book.

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