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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 book did Allende read on the sly when her parents were out?

2. Allende tells Paula that Paula was Tata's _______________________.

3. What did Tio Ramon do for Allende's mother and brothers?

4. In what city do Allende, her mother and brothers live with Tio Ramon while he works at the Chilean embassy?

5. Allende states that the only certainty of her life was _____________________.

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe Ernesto's devotion to his wife, Paula.

2. What does Allende recall about the political unrest in Lebanon where the family was living in the late 1950s?

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

4. What does Allende share about her early school days in Santiago?

5. How did Shakespeare's plays influence Allende's writing?

6. Describe Allende's son, Nicolas, during his teenage years in Caracas.

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

8. Describe Tio Ramon's infatuation with Paula.

9. How does Allende describe her time in Caracas?

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

Allende has an obvious respect and affection for Pablo Neruda. Who is Neruda? What was his influence on Allende's writing? What was his influence on the world, especially Latin nations?

Essay Topic 2

Describe some of the settings for the novel. Be sure to include geography, time period and any pertinent popular culture events.

Essay Topic 3

Allende lived a life of relative privilege and experiences as part of a diplomatic family. How did her experiences influence her as a person? How did the experiences influence her writing? Can you cite any examples?

(see the answer keys)

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