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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 Penny and Mr. Mulligan supposed to spend quality time together?

2. To whom is Penny introduced as she starts her new job?

3. What does Penny find under her mother's bed?

4. What is the most significant mystery in Penny's life?

5. Which of the following causes Penny to awake from her dream?

Short Essay Questions

1. Based on the narrative at the beginning of Chapter 9, how does Penny's mother's relationship with Mr. Mulligan become more apparent to Penny upon her return home from Nonny's?

2. Based on the narrative in the sixth chapter of the book, can Penny's paternal side of the family be labeled as small or large?

3. According to the text in Chapters 7 and 8, what is discussed between Frankie and Penny while they are in the basement helping Nonny with the laundry?

4. Based on the text of Chapter 7 in the book, are there any annual events that Penny will be enjoying in the very near future?

5. Based on the focus upon it in the first chapter of the book, what type of lifestyle is that of Penny Falucci's?

6. Based on the text in the eleventh chapter of the book, what does Penny's mother do to assure an ambiance of comfort in anticipation of Mr. Mulligan's visit to her home for dinner?

7. According to the narrative in the sixth chapter of the book, can Sunday dinners at Penny's paternal grandmother's (Nonny's) house be described as being Italian-themed?

8. According to the text in the first couple of chapters in the book, why does Penny's maternal grandmother, Me-me, do most of the cooking for Penny and her mother?

9. Based on the narrative in Chapter 9 of the book, how does Uncle Dominic try to guide Penny toward resolving her discontent when she runs from her house to him sobbing uncontrollably?

10. Based on the narrative in Chapter 4 of the book, how does Pop-pop painting all of the household furniture with black lacquer affect Penny?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Family togetherness is an apparent overall theme that is illustrated throughout Penny from Heaven. For example, even though Penny's father is deceased, his side of the family still includes Penny in their lives, and Penny does not seem to resist including them in hers. Explain how Penny's father's family (the Faluccis) maintain a familial-type closeness with Penny; and how she shows that although her father is gone, his family - the Faluccis remain very much a part of her life.

Essay Topic 2

Introduced early in the story, Penny's Uncle Dominic lives in a car in the Faluccis' front yard. As the story continues, it becomes evident that the man is stable in many ways, and in fact, is a source of stability in Penny's life - always there to rescue Penny, listen to her problems, fix the toilet, and listen to the ball games on the car radio with her. Is he merely a misunderstood eccentric sort living in a car? Does he live in the car because he is frugal? Or does he live in it because he is poor? Cite text and/or paraphrase scenarios from the book to support your position.

Essay Topic 3

Throughout the book, two members of Penny's mother's side of the family - namely her mother and her grandfather, Pop-pop, are depicted as conservative type individuals with little if any desire for anything outside the norm of day-to-day existence . As the story progresses however, it becomes evident that both have secret desires for things outside that norm, he for cigars, and she for spending time with Mr. Mulligan. They both resort to using others, such as Connie and Penny to go out and acquire enjoyment with their target desires. Do those actions of theirs convey their lack of honesty toward others or toward themselves? Why or why not? Cite text and/or paraphrase scenarios from the book to support your position.

(see the answer keys)

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