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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 is Jared doing on the way home?

2. Where are the children walking?

3. What do the children hear?

4. Why does Jared instruct his siblings to take such an action?

5. What does Lucinda have to be sedated?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does the children's mother think about them taking a walk and what does each child take on the walk?

2. Why is Jared nervous, what does he ask the three and what is their response?

3. What does Simon suggest about Mallory's find and what is her response?

4. What does the unicorn show the children and how do they react to the vision?

5. What begins to make the children nervous and what happens as they reach a meadow?

6. What is Jared's response to the elves ravings and how does Lorengorm answer Jared?

7. How does Mallory feel about the conversation with the rabbit-monkey creature and what does Simon ask it? What is the creature's response to Simon's question?

8. What do the three beings who come through the trees look like?

9. What do they ask the rabbit-monkey creature they see and what does he answer? What does Jared decide about him? What does he say when they ask about Arthur?

10. What does Mallory ask Simon about what he brings on the walk and what is his response?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Before they get out of the car, Jared wonders if anyone every visits Aunt Lucinda and speculates that they are the first visitors in a long time. Their Mom gets instantly angry, which seems slightly defensive on her part as if she feels guilty about not visiting and feels badly about how the family is treating Lucinda. Mallory asks if Grandma visits, which she does but only infrequently. At one point they were so close but she does not know how to deal with Lucinda's condition.

1. Do you think Helen Grace is angry because she feels guilty? Why or why not? Use examples from Lucinda's Secret and your own life to support your answer.

2. Do you think Lucinda should be in the asylum? Why or why not? Use examples from Lucinda's Secret and your own life to support your answer.

3. What do you think are some better ways than anger to deal with guilt? Use examples from your own life to support your answer.

Essay Topic 2

Titles often play a vital role in making a person decide to read a particular book. Discuss the following:

1. Fully explain why you think Lucinda's Secret is titled as such. Do you think it is the best title for the book? Why or why not? Can you think of a better title? Why would you choose it?

2. How important is a title in influencing you to consider reading a book? Explain your answer.

3. Do you think a title needs to have direct relevance to a book's content? Explain your answer.

4. Have you ever read a book that when you finished, you do not understand the relevance of the title? Does it discourage you from "trusting" that particular author again?

Essay Topic 3

Characters are an important part of what makes Lucinda's Secret interesting. Discuss the following "good" characters:

1. Thoroughly discuss and analyze Jared. What are his strengths? His weaknesses? How does he contribute to the plot? Is he a sympathetic character? Is he always likable? Never likable? Use specific examples to illustrate your ideas.

2. Thoroughly discuss and analyze Simon. What are his strengths? His weaknesses? How does he contribute to the plot? Is he a sympathetic character? Is he always likable? Never likable? Use specific examples to illustrate your ideas.

3. Thoroughly discuss and analyze Mallory. What are her strengths? Her weaknesses? How does she contribute to the plot? Is she a sympathetic character? Is she always likable? Never likable? Use specific examples to illustrate your ideas.

4. Thoroughly discuss and analyze Lucinda. What are her strengths? Her weaknesses? How does she contribute to the plot? Is she a sympathetic character? Is she always likable? Never likable? Use specific examples to illustrate your ideas.

(see the answer keys)

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