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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 title of Allende's most recent book at the time?

2. What is the name of Allende's husband and Paula's father?

3. What was the family joke about Allende?

4. Why was Allende expelled from school?

5. What was the basis for Allende's writing as a child?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why is Allende so grateful to have her mother with her in the hospital for a short while?

2. Explain the courtship between Allende and her first husband, Michael.

3. What does the author call this section of the book?

4. How do Allende and Ernesto both let go of Paula?

5. How does Allende explain her love for writing and telling stories?

6. What topic does Allende turn to during the dark days of waiting at the hospital in Spain?

7. How did Allende come to know Salvador Allende, the future president of Chile?

8. Describe Allende's grandmother, Meme's special gifts.

9. What was Allende's job during the early days of her first marriage?

10. What are Ernesto's perceptions of Paula at this point in time?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

What do you think are the three main sorrows in Allende's life? Cite examples to support your answers. Explain how Allende grows from these experiences.

Essay Topic 2

Explain the nature of this book and why the author created it the way she did. Why did she choose to create a collection of diary entries to tell her story? Is it effective? How is it different from reading a regular novel? How is it the same?

Essay Topic 3

What do you think are the three main joys in Allende's life? Cite examples to support your answers. Explain how Allende grows from these experiences.

(see the answer keys)

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