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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. On what date was the Nielsens' biological daughter Vivian born?

2. Where does Vivian admit that her mother went after the fire when she first arrives at Miss Larsen's room at the boarding house?

3. How old did Molly turn on her birthday when her father gave her jewelry cards as a gift?

4. Where does Vivian say her mother's people were from in Ireland?

5. What does Vivian's teacher say she looks like when she returns to school with her hair short after the incident with lice at the Grotes home?

Short Essay Questions

1. What causes the Byrnes' financial problems in Section 3? How does this impact Vivian?

2. What similarities between Vivian and Molly are illustrated in Section 3?

3. What are Vivian's first impressions of the Grotes' home in Section 3? What are the Grotes like?

4. Who adopts Vivian after she leaves the Byrnes' home in Section 3? What are the motivations of this couple?

5. What does Vivian think of the school that she begins attending while staying with the Grotes in Section 3?

6. Why does Molly go to the library in Section 4? What does she discover through her research there?

7. Who is Molly's social worker? What conversation does Molly have with her social worker in Section 3?

8. Where does Vivian stay while she awaits word from Mr. Sorenson in Section 4? Who oversees this establishment?

9. What are your thoughts on the portrayal of sexual molestation in the novel?

10. What information does Mr. Sorenson relate when he returns in Section 4? What are Vivian's options at this point?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Describe and analyze the characters of Mr. and Mrs. Grote in the novel. How old are Mr. and Mrs. Grote? What is their relationship like? How many children live in the Grote home when Vivian arrives? What are Vivian’s impressions of this family?

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

Discuss the themes of education, reading, and literature in the novel. What does reading represent to Molly and to Vivian? Why? How does Vivian feel about education as a child in the early 1930s? How does Molly feel about her education?

(see the answer keys)

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