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This test consists of 5 multiple choice questions, 5 short answer questions, and 10 short essay questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What does Alma recall Paul, Sr. doing the time Pammy slapped her?
(a) He slapped her back.
(b) He walked by and said nothing.
(c) He yelled at Alma for bugging Pammy.
(d) He punished Pammy for two weeks.

2. What did Alma feel her children ruined when it came to her and Paul, Sr.'s relationship?
(a) Their sex life.
(b) Their financial stability.
(c) Their vacationing.
(d) Their communication.

3. Why did Alma begin wearing "the wildest underthings" (4) when her children were young?
(a) Because Paul asked her to.
(b) She had started stripping to make extra money.
(c) To entice Paul to stop seeing other women.
(d) To impress her boyfriend.

4. What word did Paul, Sr. once use to describe "the efficacy of his tree stimulator" (3)?
(a) Spontaneous.
(b) Nebulous.
(c) Treacherous.
(d) Fabulous.

5. What did Paulie try to give Alma and Paul, Sr. when they nearly lost their house?
(a) Several gold pieces.
(b) A couple of crumpled dollar bills.
(c) His life savings.
(d) A cup of pennies.

Short Answer Questions

1. What is Pammy doing while they walk Pine Street, which Alma finds nearly absurd?

2. When Pammy snaps Alma out of her daydream when they are walking, what reason does Alma give for stopping?

3. What does Alma recall Pammy doing once when Alma tried to adjust her collar when she was younger?

4. What was Paul, Sr.'s occupation?

5. What does Pammy try to point out to her mother as they walk Pine Street at the start of the story?

Short Essay Questions

1. What were Paul, Sr.'s vices?

2. How does Alma feel about Pammy pointing out the purple flowers to her on their walk? What is Pammy wearing and how does Alma feel about her outfit?

3. What did Alma do for her husband to entice him to stay home when he began staying out all night when the children were young?

4. Who is Pammy? Who is Alma? Why are they together at the start of "Mother's Day"?

5. What does Paulie recall from the night he hit his father in the groin for scaring him and his sister? What does Alma recall?

6. Who is Debi Hather? Where does Alma first see her in the story? How does Alma remember her?

7. Who is Paul, Sr.? What did he do for work? Was he successful? How do you know?

8. Who is Paulie? Why is he not with Alma at the start of the story?

9. How does Alma feel about how her children turned out despite being such smart children?

10. What does Alma remember about the time she visited the zoo with Pammy and Paulie as children?

(see the answer keys)

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