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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 America represent to Slavenka?

2. What topics did Slavenka and Evelinka's dinner party guests discuss?

3. What does the author think about the title of her book?

4. What gift did Rumiana bring to girls at a reform school?

5. In "Our Little Stasi", what bill did Slavenka struggle to pay?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why were many of Slavenka's friends depressed?

2. Why did Slavenka have to learn of Ulrike's past from a friend rather than Ulrike?

3. Why did Slavenka have such a difficult time paying her phone bill?

4. Why was Slavenka disgusted by the idea of natural make-up when she saw it in the United States?

5. In Communist times, what steps made up the beauty routine of Slavenka's mother?

6. Why was Slavenka concerned that Americans could not imagine what it would be like to live in a Communist society?

7. Under the Communist rule, why did the young people of Eastern Europe have little hope for a better life?

8. Where did Ulrike live when she was released from prison?

9. Slavenka realized that, to her daughter, Barbie represented what?

10. Why was Slavenka concerned at the way the Communism era was depicted to tourists in East Berlin?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

When Slavenka visited America, she was disgusted to see the "natural look" glamorized in fashion magazines. Write an essay examining the idea of beauty during Communist times and how freedom affected Slavenka's personal appreciation for make-up and individuality.

Essay Topic 2

Slavenka was raised to be an atheist. Examine her relationship with religion before and after Communist rule.

Essay Topic 3

After being raised in a Communist country, Slavenka eventually moved to the United States to live. Citing examples from the text, compare and contrast the lifestyle Slavenka had in the U.S. versus her life under Communist rule.

(see the answer keys)

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