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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. Who has learned the chemistry of wine making and tries to teach the immigrants?

2. What song does Barbara sing all day, the only one she knows in English"

3. What are the two seasons Maryna identifies in California?

4. What does Piotr declare he is thankful for on Thanksgiving?

5. What is the question Ryszard finally asks Maryna the night after hearing Minnie's story?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Maryna meet Miss Collingridge? When do they meet a second time? What happens after this second meeting?

2. In Chapter Seven, the narrator says "and she would tell many lies." Why does Maryna begin to tell lies? What does she lie about? What are some of the lies she tells and to whom?

3. What does Maryna choose to use as her audition material for Mr. Barton? How does the audition go? How does the author describe Marya's return to the stage? What do we learn about Maryna?

4. Ryszard offers to take Bogdan and Maryna on a trip to San Bernardinos. Does Bogdan go on the trip? How does he feel about Maryna and Ryzsard alone on the trip?

5. In Chapter Six, many of the characters take on new names. Who are they and what are their new names? How does Maryna react to this change?

6. What does Julian's wife, Wanda, do when she arrives on their land? How is this typical of the character as she is portrayed by the narrator?

7. Maryna and her family travel back to Poland to see their friends and family. How does the author tell the story of their trip? What comes across in the description of the visit? What important pieces of information are presented?

8. In Chapter Seven, Maryna moves to San Francisco to return to the stage. How does she settle into San Francisco? Where does she live first? To where and how does she move? What is her goal?

9. Maryna admired Edwin Booth from the time of her childhood. After her performance with him, she joins him in his apartment. What does she learn about Booth in this chapter?

10. What is the history of the land on which Maryna and her group settle? What is the primary crop of the land?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

What is the importance of the discussion Maryna has with Mrs. Welton? What important thing does Maryna reveal to Mrs. Welton that has not been revealed previously? Why does Maryna believe she has the right to criticize America?

Essay Topic 2

As they are readying to go to California to look for a new home for themselves and their friends, Ryszard says to Julian "America has its America, its better destination where everyone dreams of going." Discuss this theme in two contexts: America as it is seen by foreign immigrants, and America as it is seen by Americans.

Essay Topic 3

When Bogdan and Maryna go to say farewell to Bogdan's grandmother the Countess, she gives them this piece of advice: "don't invent too many reasons for what you have decided to do!" Have Bogdan and Maryna invented many reasons? What are they? Why are they going to America?

(see the answer keys)

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