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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 the name of the Camp Teresa visited as a child?

2. What does Jonathan send to Ellen for Christmas?

3. Who tells Ellen that the cause of Kate's death is an overdose of morphine?

4. What does Ellen find taped to the door of her father's office?

5. What is George feeding Kate when Ellen stops by the den that night?

Short Essay Questions

1. Kate begins to try to give Ellen advice about her wedding but Ellen stops her. What is Kate's reaction?

2. What is Jon's role in Ellen's arrest?

3. What changes on the day when Kate calls for Ellen to help her out of the tub?

4. What does Ellen say to Mrs. Duane when she says that she's been meaning to visit Kate?

5. What is Ellen's reaction when Jeff makes fun of her for baking cookies and why does she react this way?

6. What is the conversation Ellen and Kate have when Hally gives Kate the photo of her newborn baby?

7. What does Teresa say when Ellen asks if she's curious as to why George is never home?

8. Why does Ellen ask Jules not to come to the funeral?

9. Why does Ellen say that no one acknowledges the ribbons on her mother's wheelchair wheels?

10. What is the memory Ellen has about a tree lighting event the first year her mother was one of the Minnies?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Briefly explain how Ellen comes to be in jail. What is her purpose in not telling what she knows about her mother's death? What does that say about each of the characters involved?

Essay Topic 2

Ellen is scornful of her father's lack of compassion for Kate, but he says that she should remember that he is taking "the night shift." What does he mean? Should George have done more for Kate? Is Ellen underestimating the role he's playing? Support your answers with examples from the story.

Essay Topic 3

Ellen and her father clash over his insistence that she remain at home with her mother. Describe the arguments of each. Are their arguments valid? Why or why not? What were the possible alternatives? George says Ellen being at home is the only acceptable option. Was he correct? Why or why not?

(see the answer keys)

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