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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 is Vivian's date for her senior homecoming dance that gets kicked out after getting drunk and starting a scuffle?

2. What colloquialism does Vivian recall her grandmother saying after a satisfying supper?

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

4. What does Mrs. Nielsen say that her ancestry is while she and Vivian decorate for Christmas in Section 4?

5. What month is it when Vivian first goes to meet the Nielsens?

Short Essay Questions

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

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

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

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

5. What are the psychological impacts on Vivian from her experiences at the Grotes' home?

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

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

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

9. What causes Molly to leave her foster home in Section 4? Where does Molly intend to go after leaving?

10. How is Vivian's meeting with the Nielsens described in Section 4? What agreement do the Nielsens reach regarding Vivian?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

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?

Essay Topic 2

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 3

Compare and contrast the settings of Vivian’s home in Ireland and New York City in 1929. What is the name of the village where Vivian was born? How is this setting described? How does this setting differ from Ellis Island and New York City?

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This section contains 990 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample