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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 does Gillian do after Sally leaves?

2. What do the townspeople gossip about Maria?

3. What does Sally say is the important thing about Jimmy?

4. What does a toad spit out in the kitchen?

5. Why does Maria wear a sapphire her lover had given her for the rest of her life?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why did Maria Owens attract attention when she came to Massachusetts?

2. Why has Gary come to New York?

3. What does Sally do to find Gary and what does she do when she finds where he is staying?

4. What does Sally think about and how does she feel while waiting for Gary?

5. What are the aunts thinking when they arrive at Sally's house?

6. What do the aunts do when their concoction is ready and what do their actions help?

7. Who is at the aunts' house for Thanksgiving and what does the letter they receive say?

8. What does Kylie receive from her aunts for her birthday and what happens after it is in the house?

9. What does Gillian tell their aunts about Jimmy and what is their aunts' response?

10. What does Ben tell Gillian about her abilities and what does she do as the result of his opinion?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Oftentimes, a book has more of a character-driven plot rather than action driven, and oftentimes the other way. Discuss the following:

1. What do you think it means to say that a plot is character driven? Action driven?

2. How do you think a plot differs if it is character driven versus action driven?

3. Which type of plot do you find more interesting? Why?

4. Do you think it is possible to have a plot where action and character development share equal time? Why or why not.

5. What type of plot do you think Practical Magic is? Explain your response.

Essay Topic 2

Often, authors will write about "what they know," and sometimes knowing a little about the author makes the books more interesting. Discuss the following:

1. Research and give a brief biographical sketch of Alice Hoffman.

2. What in Hoffman's background may have helped Hoffman in writing "Practical Magic"? What may have influenced the way she depicts various characters and scenes?

3. Do you think there is always some of the author's own life in his/her novels? Why or why not? Give examples.

Essay Topic 3

Sally becomes outraged at the thought that the girls are growing up. It will always make Sally sad to think that her girls are going away, but she will eventually come to terms with it much more easily than she thinks possible. Sally's going to bed seems rather childish in many ways, showing that she is not as practical as she seems to be in regards to so many other situations.

1. Do you think Sally's reaction towards her daughters growing up is normal? Why or why not? Use examples from "Practical Magic" and your own life to support your answer.

2. What other ways might Sally be able to cope with her feelings of uncertainty than going to bed? Use examples from "Practical Magic" and your own life to support your answer.

3. Do you think someone who is an adult and is practical should never act childish? 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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