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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 Nanny do as Mother copes with Sammy's information?

2. For how long has Sammy been aware of the new information he gives Mother?

3. When Father answers Mother's question about what they are digging for, what is his response?

4. How does Father respond to Mother's delay in returning to the house?

5. Which of the following is the best description of the protagonist?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Mother do for Father before he leaves in Section 3?

2. Why does Father need to go out of town unexpectedly, and whom is he going to see?

3. Explain whether the decision Mother makes while Father is absent is a major undertaking. Provide reasons for your answer.

4. What instructions does Father give to Mother before he leaves on his trip?

5. How does Mother explain the decision that she made during Father's absence to him?

6. What is the scene on the farm as Father returns from his trip?

7. After Mother's confrontation inside with Father about the building of the new barn, what does she do and what is her attitude?

8. What does Mother do to vent her anger regarding Father's plans?

9. What is the scene as Mother asks Sammy about his knowledge of plans for the new barn? Explain what Sammy knows.

10. What occurs with the townspeople the day after the move?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

There are many elements of conflict used throughout the story. Choose one of the following conflicts, and write an essay about how that conflict adds to the understanding of the plot of the story:

1) Conflict between Mother and Father

2) Conflict between Mother and Sammy

3) Conflict between Mother and the minister

4) Conflict between Father and Sammy

5) Conflict between Mother and the townspeople gossiping about what she did

Essay Topic 2

Write an essay explaining if you think this story was meant to be controversial for the time in which it was written. Use the time in which the author was writing as compared to the time during which the story takes place to support your answers.

Essay Topic 3

Explain the view of a woman's role during the 1800s. Be sure to discuss how men treated women and how men viewed women. Also include a discussion of how women were to treat men during this time in history. Then explain why this understanding of history is crucial to understanding the interactions between the members of the Penn family.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 904 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample