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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 baseball position does Frankie ask Penny to play?

3. What does Penny's mother ask her to do as she gets ready to go out to dinner?

4. Which of the following is Penny's last name?

5. Whose house grounds were supposed to be stashed with money?

Short Essay Questions

1. Based on the narrative in Chapter 4 of the book, how does Pop-pop painting all of the household furniture with black lacquer affect Penny?

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

3. 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?

4. 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?

5. 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?

6. 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?

7. 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?

8. 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?

9. 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?

10. 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?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

During Penny's stay in the hospital, Mr. Mulligan visits her, and the two begin a daily meeting of the minds in relation to the news of the day, which Mr. Mulligan shares with Penny via the newspaper. That series of events presents Penny with a pleasant personality traits of Mr. Mulligan that she was not familiar with, and that she learns to appreciate. Looking back at some of the things that Penny did to dissuade Mr. Mulligan from remaining romantically involved with her mother, such as being cross with him and lying to him about her mother having hit her, can Penny's new outlook toward him be based more on her desire for reconciliation, or on her finally accepting that a new man in both her life and that of her mother's may be inevitable and imminent? Cite text and/or paraphrase scenarios from the book to support your position.

Essay Topic 2

Around Penny's twelfth birthday, Penny's mother tells her that she received her first piece of jewelry - a pearl necklace - on her own twelfth birthday. Is there an element of foreshadowing in that scenario in the book? If so, what other scenario can be paired with the foregoing one that would support foreshadowing to have occurred? Is there a corresponding event or scenario that parallels the one of Penny's mother telling her about having received the pearl necklace on her twelfth birthday? If so, does the corresponding event or scenario illustrate foreshadowing? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 3

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.

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