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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. Where does Penny end up going when she visits her father's side of the family?

2. What does Penny select for her mother from her relative's clothing store?

3. What does Mr. Mulligan give to Me-me, Penny, and her mother, Eleanor when he pays them a visit?

4. Who is Uncle Ralphie's wife?

5. What type of action do Penny and her co-worker take against the dog that chases them down the road?

Short Essay Questions

1. 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?

2. Based on the narrative in Chapters 7 and 8 of the book, how does Frankie show real concern for his family when his father loses his job?

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

4. Based on the text in the eleventh chapter of the book, what does Penny's mother do to assure an ambiance of comfort in anticipation of Mr. Mulligan's visit to her home for dinner?

5. 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?

6. Based on the text in Chapter 10 of the book, how are some of the townspeople aware that Penny's late grandfather Falucci had buried cash somewhere on his property?

7. According to the text in Chapter 3 of the book, how does a large dog interfere with Frankie and Penny's attempt to deliver meat to Mrs. Morelli?

8. 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?

9. Based on the narrative in the first chapter of the book, how are Penny and her Uncle Dominic "different" from other baseball fans in their community?

10. 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?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Penny's father's family is large and fun-loving while the family of Penny's mother's is small in number and reserved. Overall, which side of Penny's family - her father's side; or her mother's side seems to influence Penny the most? What side of the family does she have the tendency to like and listen to more? Her mother's side? Or her father's side? Cite examples from the book to support your position.

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

Looking at Penny's life throughout the book, and how relatives from both sides of her family - that of her father, and that of her mother - play important roles in her life, can it be said that a village and not a pair of conventional parents helped raise Penny? Cite text and/or paraphrase scenarios from the book to support your position.

(see the answer keys)

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