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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 Molly's foster mother's profession?

2. When was Anne of Green Gables published?

3. How old does Vivian say she was when her parents died in the Prologue?

4. What is the name of the man Vivian's Dad tries to contact once Vivian's family has arrived in New York?

5. Who was Vivian's teacher in New York when she became orphaned?

Short Essay Questions

1. What happens when the orphan train stops in Minneapolis, Minnesota, according to Vivian's narrative in Section 2? Who is adopted at this stop?

2. What foreshadowing can be seen through the meeting of Molly and Vivian in the beginning of the novel?

3. What purpose does the Prologue serve in Orphan Train? How would you describe the language and tone of the Prologue?

4. How is the theme of identity illustrated through Vivian's narratives of the past in Section 2?

5. How would you describe Vivian's relationships with her fellow workers at the clothing manufacturing company owned by the Byrnes?

6. How does the structure of the novel contribute to the theme of the past's influence on the present?

7. How would you describe Vivian's objectives as she and Molly begin working in the attic in Section 2?

8. What are Molly's first impressions of the attic when she is taken there in Section 2? Who leads Molly to this area of Vivian's house?

9. What transition occurs when Molly opens the first box in the attic in Section 2? How does the narrative style of the novel change?

10. Where is Vivian first adopted from the orphan train? Who adopts her? What is this couple's motivation for adoption?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the similarities and differences between the novel Jane Eyre and Orphan Train. How are the characters in these two stories similar? What themes do the stories relate? Why do you think that Christina Baker Kline chose to use Jane Eyre as the novel that Molly has stolen from the library? What does this tell you about Molly?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss Vivian’s impressions of Albans, Minnesota, and the home of the Byrnes. How far is Albans from Minneapolis? How populous is this town? How large is the home that the Byrnes live in? Where is Vivian forced to sleep in the home?

Essay Topic 3

What does the term “Irish Diaspora” mean? When did the most Irish immigrants arrive in the United States? How did Anti-Irish sentiment in the U.S. originate and evolve? How is Anti-Irish sentiment illustrated in Orphan Train?

(see the answer keys)

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