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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 Kylie tell Gillian about the coming summer?

2. What does Gillian ask Antonia and Kylie while they are in the yard?

3. What does Sally do when she is driving all over town?

4. What does Gary think when he sees Sally's car?

5. What does Gary see when he goes to the kitchen sink?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Gideon's mother tell him at the beginning of Levitation?

2. How does Gary figure out that Sally and Gillian know more about Jimmy than they are saying?

3. What do Sally and Gillian learn about Irene and how does this make them feel?

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

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

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

7. What do Gillian and Sally want to do with the thorns in the backyard and what does Kylie say about their plan?

8. What does Kylie feel about going to her aunts that summer?

9. Why does Sally become enraged at Gillian for something Gillian says about Sally's daughters?

10. How does Sally meet Gary?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the following:

1. What do you think are the characteristics of a successful novel?

2. Analyze and discuss "Practical Magic" based upon the criteria you decide upon in #1 and judge if "Practical Magic" is a successful novel.

3. Do you think the criteria for a successful novel should be different if it is written for young teens versus adults? Why or why not? Would most adults consider "Practical Magic" a successful novel? What about young teens?

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

Discuss one of the following:

1. Trace and analyze the theme of growth in "Practical Magic". Consider the following questions as you write: What characters are most concerned with growth? Why? What are some symbols of growth? Symbols of rigidity? What characters are rigid?

2. Trace and analyze the theme of individual freedom in "Practical Magic". Which characters struggle with this issue? Why? Which characters work to possess individual freedom? Why?

3. Trace and analyze the theme of tradition in "Practical Magic". What the aunts' views of tradition? What about Sally? Why is tradition important to some characters? Is anyone willing to abandon traditional viewpoints? Who? What are the positive and negative sides to holding fast to tradition?

(see the answer keys)

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