View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. Why does Jazz feel guilty about her relationship with friends?

2. According to Karen, why do so many people with clinical depression suffer relapses?

3. Why does Jazz refuse to go to the competition?

4. Jazz feels about the polonaise like Antonia feels about what?

5. What does Tillie bake for the Dillon children?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does Jazz beg Antonia not to tell Jazz's friends about her playing the piano?

2. What do Antonia and Jazz decide to do to give Mrs. Bartoli a lesson on stereotyping?

3. How does Antonia and her family get money to live on?

4. Why has Karen chosen to go into social work, and what is it about her that gives Antonia hope?

5. Why does Jazz feel guilty about her friends hearing her play?

6. Explain why Antonia tells Jazz that her foster family are ugly, evil little gones who keep them locked up?

7. Why does Jazz skip the competition and quit the piano?

8. As nice as the Abeytas are, how does Antonia feel about staying at their house?

9. Explain Antonia's reaction to Karen.

10. Explain why Jazz never wants to play the polonaise again.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Stereotyping by appearance is a theme that runs throughout the novel, Define Normal. Select three different examples of stereotyping in the novel and discuss how each example affects the life of at least one character.

Essay Topic 2

Antonia takes care of herself and her little brothers. Discuss why she is so reluctant to ask for help. How does her reluctance to share her problems create isolation? Give two examples of her isolation.

Essay Topic 3

Analyze the author's choice of not identifying a specific place for the setting of this novel. Explain what setting you think it has, giving credible examples. (For instance, does it take place in a village? In a warm climate? A cold climate? Is it a big city, a small city, or a rural town?) Argue that the author was right in not providing a specific setting, or argue that the novel would have been better if it had been set in a particular city or town.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,023 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample