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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. Rex dies during Part 4 as a result of:

2. What is the high school guidance counselor's advice for Jeannette?

3. What incident gets Maureen sentenced to one year in the hospital?

4. How do Rose Mary and Rex react to the children's story about the incident between Erma and Brian?

5. What does Jeannette find out about her mother's finances in Part 4 that surprises her?

Short Essay Questions

1. How are Brian, Maureen, and Jeannette's ways of coping with their home life differ? What does each of them do?

2. Why is Jeannette so interested in going to Ginnie Sue's house? What is her visit like?

3. What is Rex's mother, Erma, like, and how does she differ from Grandma Smith?

4. Rex is largely absent from the family after they move to Welch. What has he been doing during this time?

5. Describe Jeannette's reaction when her mother comes to her, begging her and her new husband to buy some property in Texas that abutted her own.

6. How does Rose Mary view her and Rex's living situation in New York? How do the other members of the family see things differently?

7. What potentially dangerous situation does Rex put Jeannette in while her mother is out of town for training?

8. What is Jeannette's reaction when a social worker comes to visit the home, and what does she tell her parents about it?

9. What happens to the family's money when Jeannette is put in charge of managing it while her mother is gone?

10. Why do Rex and Rose Mary follow their children to New York City to live?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The Walls siblings all find different ways to deal with their difficult circumstances. Compare and contrast the responses of Lori, Maureen, Brian, and Jeannette to the stresses of living without resources.

1) How does each of the children deal with their problems emotionally?

2) How do some, if any, of the children work together to relieve some of their misery?

3) What does each of the children do to try to get what they need?

Essay Topic 2

Compare and contrast Grandma Smith and Erma.

1) What, if any, traits or beliefs do the two women share?

2) How are there personalities different and how does this affect Jeannette's relationship with each of them?

3) How do the personalities of each of these grandmothers reflect on the behavior and personalities of their children (Rex and Rose Mary)?

Essay Topic 3

The relationship between the author and her parents is a very complex one. She is both fond of them and attempts to understand their behavior, and is shocked that they are able to be so childish and neglectful in providing for even the very basic needs of the children. Discuss this relationship with consideration to the following questions:

1) Discuss examples of the neglectful behavior described in the book. How are the parents negligent and how are the children able to get by in spite of this?

2) Relate examples of the positive experiences that the author has with each of her parents, and what she considers to be some of their positive characteristics.

(see the answer keys)

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