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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. Why do Eleanor and Me-me leave the dining room during their dinner with Mr. Mulligan, Penny, and Pop-pop?

2. Who has offered Penny a job?

3. Which of the following is Penny struck by when her Uncle Dominic drives her home?

4. What is Frankie lamenting in relation to Penny?

5. Who is Penny's mother laughing and talking with at the door when Penny awakens at the beginning of Chapter 7?

Short Essay Questions

1. Based on the text of Chapter 7 in the book, are there any annual events that Penny will be enjoying in the very near future?

2. Based on the narrative in Chapter 9 of the book, how does Uncle Dominic try to guide Penny toward resolving her discontent when she runs from her house to him sobbing uncontrollably?

3. Based on the narrative in Chapter 3 of the book, how do Penny and Frankie show their politeness to Mrs. Wiederhorn during their meat delivery stop at her house?

4. According to the text in Chapters 4 and 5, does Penny have to endure any unwanted physical misfortunes as a result of Pop-pop painting the household furniture with black lacquer?

5. Based on the text in the sixth chapter of the book, in what way is Penny's paternal Uncle Nunzio generous to her?

6. Based on the text of Chapters 4 and 5 of the book, how does Me-me try to fix Penny's black lacquer-related hair problems?

7. According to the text in the eleventh chapter of the book, what does Mr. Mulligan do to try to make a good impression on Penny's mother and her family when he stops by to have dinner with them?

8. According to the narrative in the sixth chapter of the book, can Sunday dinners at Penny's paternal grandmother's (Nonny's) house be described as being Italian-themed?

9. Based on the narrative in Chapter 3 of the book, can it be said that Penny's Uncle Ralphie is more generous than her Aunt Fulvia?

10. According to the narrative in the eleventh chapter of the book, what takes place before Penny receives her shiner from Veronica?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Family togetherness is an apparent overall theme that is illustrated throughout Penny from Heaven. For example, even though Penny's father is deceased, his side of the family still includes Penny in their lives, and Penny does not seem to resist including them in hers. Explain how Penny's father's family (the Faluccis) maintain a familial-type closeness with Penny; and how she shows that although her father is gone, his family - the Faluccis remain very much a part of her life.

Essay Topic 2

There is within the story, a flashback of Penny dreaming about being with her father at the beach - an obvious illusion of sorts. She is awakened by water from a leaky toilet leaking on her face. She calls on her Uncle Dominic to fix the leaky toilet; and he does - just as he has always done before. Does the leaky toilet wake up Penny to the fact that her biological father now only exists in her dreams, while the role that her Uncle Dominic has in her life is more that of a real father? Cite text and/or paraphrase scenarios from the book to support your position.

Essay Topic 3

We see a little contrast in color in the story as Pop-pop is painting everything in the house with black lacquer because it makes Me-me happy; and in the process, Penny experiences a streak of bad luck with the black paint. Was Me-me's belief that painting everything black would make everything nicer based on superstition? Or was it based on reality? What about Penny's accident with the black paint? Was that merely coincidence based on reality, or was it a streak of bad luck brought about by some element of superstition associated with the black paint? Cite text and/or paraphrase scenarios from the book to support your position.

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