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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 Debi's daughter do before a parade once to make their house look more presentable?

2. What does Debi recall her daughter doing when she brought a boy named Rob over, which Debi could not fathom?

3. What did Debi use in the Mac-n-cheese for her daughter and her male friend when they had no milk?

4. What does Debi imagine Alma would learn about her husband when she reached Heaven and watched the movie of her life?

5. How does Debi describe Alma's face when she first sees her from across the street?

Short Essay Questions

1. What happened when Vicky brought a boy name Rob over? In what way did Debi embarrass Vicky? What did Vicky do that Debi found absurd?

2. Why is Debi surprised Alma's children pay any attention to her on Mother's Day? What did Debi see Paulie doing at Wegman's the day before Mother's Day?

3. What has Debi done in her past which she admits makes her no angel?

4. Describe the scene at Paul's gravesite a few days after his funeral.

5. Who is Vicky? Describe her relationship with Debi.

6. What does Pammy say to Alma when they first see Debi? How does Alma respond?

7. What was Debi's relationship with Paul, Sr.? How does Debi feel about Paul and his behavior?

8. How does Debi try to cope with the fact that Vicky ran away from her?

9. When did Vicky leave? Where did she go? With whom? What was the last word Debi received from her daughter?

10. Why does Debi think she should have been born in the future?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Write an essay examining the ending of "Mother's Day." How did the ending fit into the storyline? Do you think the ending was effective? What theme might the ending represent? What might the author have done differently?

Essay Topic 2

Though Debi and Alma's thoughts the readers sees how each woman copes by rewriting the past. Write an essay explore the ways in which both Debi and Alma rewrite their story. What parts of their story do they change and why?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss elements of the narrative structure: Exposition, conflict, complication, climax, resolution and conclusion. Do all the elements make for a logical and linear story? How does the story's structure express the themes of self-delusion, resentment, identity and motherhood?

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