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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 did Zippy overhear Mrs. O'Dell say to Polly?

2. On the night of her sister's slumber party, what did Zippy think she saw in the trees?

3. Why did Dan start playing basketball?

4. After the fall on the way to her brother's house, what did Zippy have embedded in the heel of her foot?

5. What was Zippy's mother really good at?

Short Essay Questions

1. What did Zippy mean when her mother rode off on her bike and Zippy thought, "It won't be long now."

2. What happened to Zippy's grandmother's house? How was it moved? How does the fact that it is on a graveyard affect the story and image of Zippy's grandmother?

3. Why did Zippy feel everything in her life changed when Dana moved to town?

4. What were Zippy's thoughts about a single moment?

5. What was the ultimate reason Zippy did not get the presents she wanted for Christmas?

6. Why did Zippy's mom get kicked out of Catholic school?

7. What instrument did Zippy what to play and why was it not accepted by the music teacher?

8. What was Zippy's memory of the drive in theater?

9. What did Zippy's grandma tell her new daughter-in-law when she was first married?

10. What did Zippy's mom mean when she said usually "people aren't thinking about you at all"?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

After Zippy's dad confronted his neighbor Reed, he tells Zippy, "There's danger everywhere." What did he mean by this statement to his daughter? What was his bigger message?

Essay Topic 2

Zippy obviously adored her parents. She discussed their flaws in detail but seems to not be bothered by them. How were Zippy's parents good parents? How were they bad parents? What were their strengths? What were their flaws?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss Zippy's mom's upbringing. Do you think she had a good childhood? What do you think of the story that her mother told the class about the brain tumor? What does this do to your opinion of Zippy's mother? Do you think her childhood affected her adult life? How?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 872 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample