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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 word from the narrative means experienced in the imagination through the feelings or actions of another person?

2. By when does Stefano say he wants to see a shoe display at Fernando's store in Adolescence: Chapter 51?

3. What has Elena gotten a job doing in Adolescence: Chapter 49?

4. What word from Adolescence: Chapter 39 means to mark the beginning or first public use of an organization or project?

5. What does the word "expiate" mean in the narrative?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Elena describe her rivalry with Lila in Adolescence: Chapter 43?

2. What is foreshadowed in the end of Adolescence: Chapter 36? How does this foreshadowing develop tension in the narrative?

3. What significant plot points emerge in Adolescence: Chapters 25-30?

4. Why does Stefano win Lila's hand instead of Marcello?

5. What is significant about Elena's trip to Ishia for the summer in Adolescence: Chapter 30?

6. What occurs in Adolescence: Chapter 53 that gives Elena a feeling of purpose?

7. Who are Elena's romantic suitors after school begins in Adolescence: Chapter 41?

8. How is Lila's character impacted by the conflicts with her family regarding Marcello in Adolescence: Chapters 25-30?

9. What do Lila and Elena conclude regarding Stefano Carracci in Adolescence: Chapter 21?

10. What causes Elena depression and dissatisfaction in Adolescence: Chapters 25-30?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Describe and discuss the narrative style and framing device established for My Brilliant Friend in the Prologue and first chapters. From whose perspective is the narrative related? Why is the narrative related by this character?

Essay Topic 2

Describe and discuss Lila's behavior in school when she is young. Why do you think that Lila acts out in class? How does the teacher respond to Lila's behavior? What is discovered about Lila's abilities?

Essay Topic 3

Describe and discuss the shoes that Lila and Rino design and create. What do the shoes represent symbolically for these characters in the novel? What do they represent to Elena and to the other characters? What is the significance of the appearance of the shoes in the end of the narrative?

(see the answer keys)

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