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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. What happens to Irene's voice?

2. What does Gillian think she got from Jimmy?

3. Who is Jimmy?

4. What was Jimmy selling to college kids?

5. What must Sally and Gillian Owens do?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why is Kylie looking forward to her birthday and how does Antonia feel about being beautiful?

2. How does Sally figure out that Kylie will never be normal?

3. Why was everyone so upset at Kylie's birthday dinner?

4. Who does Sally marry, what children does she have and what are those children like?

5. How do Kylie and Antonia each feel about Gillian, where is Gillian working and what happens at her work place?

6. What happens in school that makes the children believe Sally is a witch?

7. What happens when Sally hears a knock on the door one night?

8. What does Sally see as she is leaving the pizza parlor and how does she feel about it?

9. What was Ben told once when he had his fortune read?

10. Why does Irene want the aunts to undo what they did for her and what do they do to her when they tell her they can't?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Kylie feels that she has been pushed aside since Gillian has started seeing Ben but doesn't say anything to Gillian. Instead, she sends large orders of anchovy pizzas to Ben's house, puts ashes in Gillian's shoes and other things. It isn't until Kylie sees Gillian and Ben together that she sees the love that is around them and realizes that she can't be mad at them.

1. Do you think as the adult Gillian should be more aware of Kylie's feelings? Why or why not? Use examples from Practical Magic and your own life to support your answer.

2. It seems that Gillian used Kylie when she had no friends and has ignored her since starting to see Ben. Do you think this is a true statement? Why or why not? Use examples from "Practical Magic" and your own life to support your answer.

3. What are some better ways Kylie could have expressed her feelings of rejection and hurt? Use examples from "Practical Magic" and your own life to support your answer.

Essay Topic 2

There are a number of interesting questions raised by "Practical Magic". Questions that Hoffman most likely want readers to consider and think through carefully. Discuss the following:

1. What does the term "author agenda" mean?

2. Name one idea/concept you think may have been a part of the Hoffman's agenda. Analyze that idea throughout the book and discuss Hoffman's probable agenda concerning that idea.

2. Do you think writers who have an agenda for writing should point it out in a preface?

3. How often do you think fiction is written with a clear agenda in mind by the author?

4. Research the life of Hoffman and if/where his life may have influenced his writing.

Essay Topic 3

The fact that Gillian is being hard on herself makes Sally become a little kinder to her. In the next part of this chapter Antonia and Kylie also have a moment which draws them closer together. Each horrible event that has happened in the book eventually is the basis for something positive that happens to the family, including the death of Jimmy.

1. Do you think Gillian has good reasons to be disgusted with herself? Why or why not? What are some of the reasons Gillian uses to justify disliking herself. Use examples from "Practical Magic" and your own life to support your answer.

2. Why do you think adversity tends to bring people together? Discuss the reasons for this with examples.

3. Do you think something good can always come out of something negative? Why or why not? Use examples from "Practical Magic" and your own life to support your answer.

(see the answer keys)

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