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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 type of birthmark does O'Neill have?

2. In Chapter 5, what falls from Maren's eyes when she cries?

3. Where does Clara find a note from O'Neill in Chapter 4?

4. In Chapter 8, what does Clara give Simon when he comes to take Maren to the dance?

5. What is Auntie making at the beginning of Chapter 6?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Clara describe the caravan that Scarff and O'Neill travel with?

2. Who are Scarff and O'Neill?

3. In Chapter 9, who makes a delivery and what do they bring?

4. In Chapter 3, how does Scarff remember that O'Neill came to travel with him?

5. In Chapter 11 where does O'Neill sleep and why?

6. In Chapter 12, who peeks into the window at Verity's home and what does he see?

7. How is a section of Pinkney's field set up for the medicine show?

8. In Chapter 7, what do Maren and Clara do after breakfast on Christmas morning?

9. What are Auntie, Clara, and Maren doing at the beginning of Chapter 6?

10. In Chapter 12, why does Clara scold O'Neill for promising Osbert licorice lozenges?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

There are several mysteries in the novel: the parentage of Maren, Clara, and O’Neill; the relationship between Auntie and Scarff; and the way that Maren is becoming a mermaid. What mysteries are solved in the book? How are those mysteries solved? What mysteries are left unanswered?

Essay Topic 2

O’Neill had seemed to be in love with Maren, but reveals that he has always loved Clara. How does O’Neill explain why it appeared that he loved Maren? How does Clara accept his explanation? How does his explanation affect their relationship?

Essay Topic 3

Maren is becoming a mermaid in the novel. How does Maren feel about becoming a mermaid? Why does O’Neill think that Maren becoming a mermaid is a problem to be fixed? Why does Clara believe that it is Maren’s destiny to become a mermaid? What is Maren’s destiny?

(see the answer keys)

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