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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 agrees to move in with Marie and Pierre to help them with the new child?

2. How does Marie look back on these years with her exhaustion and chronic worry about money?

3. What caused Pierre's career to suffer?

4. How do the children earn their living as they finish school?

5. What position does Monsieur Sklodovska accept after his retirement?

Short Essay Questions

1. What are Marie's plans after she passes her examinations and how do her plans change?

2. What does Marie create to help with the war and where does she get the funds for these projects?

3. Which of the children is studying medicine and why does this cause the other girls to show envy?

4. What does the money that Pierre receives allow Pierre to do and what does the publicity bring Marie and Pierre?

5. How do Manya's employers treat Manya and how does Manya feel about the children and her job?

6. Where does Marie go to live on her own and how much does she have to live on?

7. What does a typical day look like for Manya at this point in her life?

8. What discovery does Marie make about radium?

9. What is Marie's one and only goal?

10. What influence did Marie's father-in-law have on Irene?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Throughout the novel, Marie chose Paris over Warsaw. Do you think this was a good choice? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 2

How is the theme of poverty described and developed throughout the novel? Do you feel that Marie ever overcomes true poverty? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 3

Marie rarely pays attention to her own health and in fact this lack of awareness ultimately kills her. What reasons do you believe Marie had for ignoring her own health? Do you think her decisions were wise? Why or why not?

(see the answer keys)

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