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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 is Me-me when Penny gets home from the wake?

2. What is Frankie going to attempt to do while carrying out his offer of help to Nonny?

3. Which of the following is not among the gifts that Penny receives on her birthday?

4. Whom of the following is the lifeguard on duty on the day that Penny and Frankie visit the public pool for a swim?

5. Who is ill when Penny awakens one morning not long after her birthday?

Short Essay Questions

1. Based on the narrative in Chapter 20 of the book, how does Penny's job at Uncle Ralphie's meat market change when she returns to work following her stay in the hospital?

2. Based on the narrative in Chapter 15 of the book, what contributes to Penny spending a perfect day with Uncle Dominic some time after she is grounded for having disobeyed Me-me's order of not going to the public pool with Frankie?

3. Based on the narrative in Chapter 14 of the book, why has Frankie decided to run to Penny's house and hide there?

4. 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?

5. According to the narrative in the thirteenth chapter of the book, what types of items is Penny gifted with on her birthday that may help enhance her appearance?

6. According to the text in Chapter 18, what happens to the eight-year-old female cancer patient after all the other children (with the exception of Penny) have been released from the hospital and gone home?

7. Based on the text in Chapter 18, what does Penny learn from Frankie in relation to Uncle Dominic's whereabouts during her stay in the hospital?

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

9. Based on the text in the thirteenth chapter of the book, do any misunderstandings occur between Penny and her mother on her Penny's birthday?

10. 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?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

In the beginning of the story, Eleanor, Penny's mother, states that if Frankie is going to work alongside Penny, then she will feel comfortable allowing Penny to work. In making that statement, Eleanor implies that Frankie is an individual that would help assure that Penny would not get into any trouble, as long as Frankie is around her as she performs her job. For that reason perhaps, Eleanor did not show any resistance toward Penny spending time with Frankie. When Frankie goes to court toward the end of the book, it should not be overlooked that he was scared to go there because the judge had previously told him that he did not want to see him back in court again. Was Eleanor not aware of Frankie's court-related past when she based her decision to allow Penny to work on whether Frankie would be working alongside her? Looking back at the the misadventures that Frankie and Penny get into throughout the story however, was Eleanor's assumption of Frankie's character type and influence correct or incorrect? Why or why not? Cite story text and/or paraphrase scenarios from the book in support of your position.

Essay Topic 2

As the story begins, Penny is presented as a character with questions about what Heaven is like. As the story progresses however, it is apparent that she believes that her life will change for the better when she reaches Heaven. In contrast however, she states that she wants to put off death for at least 100 years. Explain how Penny's idea about her eventual enjoyment of Heaven coupled with her idea to put off death for at least 100 years, is illustrative of an antithesis type of literary technique. Support your explanation by citing examples of things that Penny enjoys on Earth, with her visualization of how those same things will be enhanced in Heaven. Then cite the things that she is enjoying on Earth so much, that may be persuading her toward putting off getting to Heaven for at least another 100 years.

Essay Topic 3

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.

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