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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 does Vivian hold up as an ideal group she wants her daughters to emulate?

2. What does Vivian say she had considered naming Ruth at first?

3. Why does Ruth get sick right after the show in Part I?

4. What does Chloe's family know her for?

5. Where does Mr. Franklin say he recently saw the Salvations perform?

Short Essay Questions

1. Who do Vivian's girls tease Vivian about, and why?

2. Why did Vivian originally move from Louisiana to California?

3. Why does Chloe worry about her friend Tony?

4. Who sings during Vivian's meeting with Mr. Franklin and what does Mr. Franklin say about this singer?

5. What is Esther known for in her own family?

6. What is the name of the girls' singing group and what does the name signify?

7. How does Ruth feel about Vivian's dream for her and her sisters?

8. What does the police officer tell Vivian and Freddy in Part II?

9. How does Vivian dress for her meeting with Mr. Franklin?

10. What does Mr. Franklin say he wants in the act from the Jones sisters?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

How does Sexton develop the topic of ongoing grief through Vivian's and the Preacher's characters? Write an essay explaining your answers, citing specific references to the text to help support your conclusions.

Essay Topic 2

Why do you think Sexton chose to structure the novel in alternating chapters focusing on four main characters, but kept the same third-person perspective throughout? Write an essay explaining your answers.

Essay Topic 3

How do different characters express love, care, and a respect for tradition through cooking and sharing food? Write an essay explaining your answers, citing specific references to the text to help support your conclusions.

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