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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. At what type of company was Edward working during this time?

2. Why was Claire sent to her room a lot?

3. How old was Kelly's father when he underwent cancer treatments?

4. Why did Kelly pick a fight with Edward on the trip?

5. What concerned Kelly about her father in January 2005?

Short Essay Questions

1. What was the real reason that Kelly got angry with Edward when he called his parents so often during their trip to New England?

2. Describe how Edward proposed to Kelly.

3. What was the reason for Kelly's panic attack at the funeral of GT's friend's father?

4. What did Kelly do in order to learn more about her father's bladder cancer and who was the cancer doctor she wanted her father to see?

5. How did Kelly's parents surprise her when they said they couldn't come to California for Christmas?

6. What did it mean when George called Edward to cancel a meeting they had when Edward was in Philadelphia on business?

7. What was the state of George's cancer at the end of the book?

8. What was Edward's rationale for the family staying in California instead of moving to Philadelphia?

9. Why was Dr. Schoenberg particularly empathetic to Kelly's interest in her father's cancer treatment?

10. What was the result of Kelly's genetic testing?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

What is the greatest lesson Kelly learns from her mother? Is it that important lessons are also painful ones? What will Kelly always recall about lessons from her mother?

Essay Topic 2

Explain Kelly Corrigan's use of regionalism in the book. Cite examples of at least two different instances of regionalism and explain why the author used them where she did.

Essay Topic 3

Illness takes on an almost human persona in this book. What was the source of the depiction of illness in Kelly's life? What is this literary technique called? Cite examples that support this position.

(see the answer keys)

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