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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. How are Elena's grades at the end of the school year in Adolescence: Chapter 9?

2. Whose old carpenter shop has been transformed into a grocery in Adolescence: Chapter 7?

3. Why has Lila's son called Elena in the Prologue?

4. Who does Elena see in the end of Adolescence: Chapter 18, causing her affections for him to become reignited?

5. What does Don Achille give to Lila and Elena in Childhood: Chapter 14?

Short Essay Questions

1. What leads to the family feuds and violence that erupts in Childhood: Chapters 8 and 9?

2. What is foreshadowed by the attentions paid to Lila during the outing in the city in Adolescence: Chapter 16?

3. How does Lila respond to jealousies over Elena in Adolescence: Chapters 3 and 4?

4. How would you describe Elena's behavior toward Rino in the phone calls in the Prologue and Chapters 1-3?

5. What information does Elena learn from Rino in Chapter 3? How does she react to this information?

6. What is foreshadowed by the encounter between Lila, Elena, and the Solara brothers in Adolescence: Chapter 13?

7. What role does Don Achille play in the plot of My Brilliant Friend?

8. What exposition does the author reveal in the Prologue and Chapters 1-3?

9. What themes are predominant in Adolescence: Chapters 13-18?

10. How does Elena's first menstruation influence her relationship with Lila?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Why is Lila not allowed to pursue her education after elementary school? How does this impact her? How does it affect Lila's relationship with Elena?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the atmosphere of the Cerullo home. How would you describe Lila's relationships with her mother, father, and brother? What are examples of conflict and/or violence that emerge from these relationships?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the political ideals that are explored and discussed in My Brilliant Friend. How would you define Communism and Fascism? What are the history of these political ideals in Italy? How do they reflect upon the characters in the novel?

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