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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 owns a clothing store?

2. Which of the following is Penny's real first name?

3. What is the primary language that Penny's uncles speak?

4. What is Penny's mother no longer wearing while she is preparing dinner for her family and Mr. Mulligan?

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

Short Essay Questions

1. According to the narrative in the sixth chapter of the book, why does Penny consider the toilet repair by her Uncle Dominic a better birthday present than the Fall coat that has been given to her by her Uncle Nunzio?

2. According to the text in Chapters 7 and 8, what is discussed between Frankie and Penny while they are in the basement helping Nonny with the laundry?

3. 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?

4. According to the text in Chapters 4 and 5 of the book, what action by Penny's mother leads Penny to believe that her mother is now in a happier mood than Penny has ever known her to be?

5. Based on the narrative in the sixth chapter of the book, can Penny's paternal side of the family be labeled as small or large?

6. According to the text in the first couple of chapters in the book, why does Penny's maternal grandmother, Me-me, do most of the cooking for Penny and her mother?

7. 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?

8. According to the text in Chapter 3 of the book, are any signs visible signs of what may be spousal abuse that Frankie and Penny detect while making a delivery stop at Mrs. Giaquinto's house and speaking with her briefly?

9. 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?

10. 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?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Introduced early in the story, Penny's Uncle Dominic lives in a car in the Faluccis' front yard. As the story continues, it becomes evident that the man is stable in many ways, and in fact, is a source of stability in Penny's life - always there to rescue Penny, listen to her problems, fix the toilet, and listen to the ball games on the car radio with her. Is he merely a misunderstood eccentric sort living in a car? Does he live in the car because he is frugal? Or does he live in it because he is poor? Cite text and/or paraphrase scenarios from the book to support your position.

Essay Topic 2

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.

Essay Topic 3

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.

(see the answer keys)

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