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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. Which of the following activities does Penny find most exhausting during her stay at the hospital?

2. Who manages to get an all-access pass to visit Penny in her hospital room at any time?

3. Which of the following items had Uncle Dominic given to Penny's father that created such a stir that resulted in Penny's father being sent to an internment camp in the state of Oklahoma where he eventually died?

4. What position does Frankie feel that he will lose as a result of the misdeed that he has committed?

5. Which of the following newspaper sections becomes a favorite for Penny and the person reading the newspaper to her?

Short Essay Questions

1. Based on the text in Chapter 20 of the book, how has Penny's bedroom been changed when she returns home following her stay in the hospital?

2. Based on the narrative in the thirteenth chapter of the book, how is Penny's birthday observed by her father's side of the family?

3. According to the text in the twelfth chapter of the book, how does Uncle Dominic resolve the situations that Uncle Benny gets into as family members are attempting to make their way to and from Aunt Concetta's wake?

4. According to the text in Chapter 17 of the book, what happens in relation to those who visit Penny as she continues her stay in the hospital?

5. According to the narrative in the twelfth chapter of the book, how does Frankie attempt to turn Aunt Concetta's wake into what he considers to be a fun event for himself?

6. According to the text in Chapter 16 of the book, how is Penny distracted to the point that she injures her arm while putting the laundry through the wringer of the washing machine in Nonny's basement?

7. According to the text in Chapter 13 of the book, what normal events take place in Penny's life on her birthday?

8. According to the narrative in Chapter 17 of the book, what are Penny's thoughts in relation to the people who stop by to visit her while she is in the hospital?

9. According to the text in Chapter 15 of the book, what are some of the reasons that Penny should not join Frankie in going to the public pool?

10. Based on the narrative in the twelfth chapter of the book, how does Penny show her support for Pop-pop's belief that he is able to talk to Mickey, the nephew whom he lost in the War, through radio static?

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

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.

Essay Topic 3

Throughout the book, there are various sections that detail actions taken by family members on Penny's father's side that are aimed toward both protecting Penny, and providing her with certain material needs in her life. Could those actions be based largely on her father's members perhaps having vowed to take care of Penny at the time of her father's death? Or could their origin be based on their genuine affection and concern toward Penny's well-being? Cite text and/or paraphrase scenarios in support of your position.

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