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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 is Uncle Ralphie's wife?

2. What does Penny's mother do for a living?

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

4. What does Penny do to Mr. Mulligan that upsets her mother?

5. What is Frankie lamenting in relation to Penny?

Short Essay Questions

1. Based on the narrative at the beginning of Chapter 9, how does Penny's mother's relationship with Mr. Mulligan become more apparent to Penny upon her return home from Nonny's?

2. 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?

3. 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?

4. According to the text in Chapter 9 of the book, what contributes toward Penny storming out of the house on Saturday afternoon when Mr. Mulligan stops by to watch the ball game on television with her?

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 narrative in the first two chapters of the book, can Penny's Uncle Dominic be considered to be eccentric?

7. 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?

8. 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?

9. 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?

10. 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?

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

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

Throughout the book, two members of Penny's mother's side of the family - namely her mother and her grandfather, Pop-pop, are depicted as conservative type individuals with little if any desire for anything outside the norm of day-to-day existence . As the story progresses however, it becomes evident that both have secret desires for things outside that norm, he for cigars, and she for spending time with Mr. Mulligan. They both resort to using others, such as Connie and Penny to go out and acquire enjoyment with their target desires. Do those actions of theirs convey their lack of honesty toward others or toward themselves? Why or why not? Cite text and/or paraphrase scenarios from the book to support your position.

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