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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 does Molly's American History teacher describe as "moments in [people's] lives when they've had to take a journey, literal or metaphorical"?

2. What is Mrs. Grote's first name in the novel?

3. What high school did Molly transfer from last year to the one she's at now?

4. What is the name of the boarding house where Miss Larsen lives in 1930?

5. From what illness did the Nielsens' daughter die?

Short Essay Questions

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

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

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

4. What are the benefits that both Molly and Vivian incur as a result of Vivian's stories in Section 4?

5. What is significant about Molly's defense of the Native Americans in her American History class in Section 4?

6. What leads up to Vivian's dismissal from the Grotes' home in Section 3? When does this occur?

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

8. What assignment is Molly given in her American History class in Section 3? How does Molly intend to approach the assignment?

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

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

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

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?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the circumstances that Vivian faces when she is thrown out of the Grotes’ home. During what time of year is it? How cold might it be in this particular region at this time of year? How reasonable is it to consider that Vivian might die on a four-mile walk at night in these temperatures?

Essay Topic 3

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?

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This section contains 995 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample